Govt, BJP fight over Lokpal bill likely in RS

The stage is set for a fresh round of confrontation on the highly publicised Lokpal bill in Parliament on Friday with the government likely to bring it before the Rajya Sabha and the BJP insisting that it will not accept any dilution in the proposed legislation.

The stage is set for a fresh round of confrontation on the highly publicised Lokpal bill in Parliament on Friday with the government likely to bring it before the Rajya Sabha and the BJP insisting that it will not accept any dilution in the proposed legislation.

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Parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath said getting the bill to curb corruption passed is a priority for the government.

“Our priority is the Lokpal bill. It has to be taken up in Rajya Sabha, and then it will come up in Lok Sabha,” he said, adding the government will list the measure in the Rajya Sabha for Friday.

However, there is trouble brewing within the UPA as its outside supporter, the Samajwadi Party, said it will oppose the bill in Rajya Sabha.

The BJP said in case the government brought the bill which includes all 15 recommendations made unanimously by the Rajya Sabha select committee, the party is prepared to get it passed without discussion.

Leaders of opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley said though the UPA government has already lost legitimacy, the BJP is still ready to cooperate for providing the nation with a Lokpal which has been pending in Parliament since 46 years.