Lokpal Bill tomorrow,govt and Team Anna head for showdown

“We are being criticised and attacked for not tackling the scourge of corruption. This is deliberate and malicious misinformation,” Gandhi told the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting without referring to Team Anna or Anna Hazare,who has threatened to go on a fast from Dec 27 over the Lokpal issue.

“I will fight for Lokpal and women’s reservation issue,” she told reporters later.

Team Anna member Kiran Bedi reacted to Gandhi sarcastically – ‘thanking’ her while alleging the Bill would not be “path-breaking” but “breaking the path”.

“The Bill is not path-breaking but breaking the path. Thank you Sonia G,” Bedi said in micro-blogging site Twitter.

“Sonia G is saying she is fighting for a Lokpal. Is it for or against Lokpal? For there is nothing for Lokpal,” she said reacting to Gandhi’s speech at the CPP meeting.

The Team Anna member was critical of government’s move to keep CBI out of Lokpal’s control,saying this draft better not be passed or else it would destroy whatever is left of CBI.

“The government is creating an anti-corruption body without any wherewithal for investigation. Who is fooling whom?” she said.

“It appears till a provision for immunity is guaranteed for past acts of corruption,political parties will ensure CBI remains in government control,” she said,adding they would now launch a ‘Save CBI’ campaign.

At the CPP,Sonia Gandhi also hit out at the Opposition,saying: “Every now and then,our political opponents have been trying to create an impression that there are differences between the Congress party and the government. Let me once and

for all nail this. There may well be differing points of view. But whatever is eventually done is done together,” she said addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP).

Gandhi said she saw no no reason for the party to be “defeatist” but admitted that what seemed to be lacking was a more effective effort by both the party and the government in communicating and propagating the accomplishments.

A day after the Union Cabinet cleared the Lokpal Bill,she said she would fight for its passage in Parliament.

Gandhi accused the Opposition of being opportunistic and made a veiled attack on the BJP saying it has not not reconciled to the defeat in 2004 and 2009 elections.

“Let us fight the forces out to destabilise us,forces who never accepted the verdict of 2004,and never reconciled themselves to the renewed mandate we got in 2009,” she said in her speech to the CPP General Body Meeting,the first in the current session coming to a close next week.

Gandhi said the Opposition may be loud but it is opportunistic. Logic and merit are lost in their obstructionist tactics.

Gandhi said,“Our programmes are productive,our policies are correct. In a democracy,there is always room for some give and take. But our direction is clear and we must move forward.”

She said much of the winter session has been lost because the Opposition not only persisted but also intensified its obstructionist tactics.

“We have never refused a debate on any of the issues the Opposition demanded. I wonder if the sole objective of the BJP-led NDA is to derail our legislative agenda. However,we will not not be deterred.”

Gandhi referred to the Food Security Bill,cleared by the Union Cabinet,and called it a “truly landmark decision” though she admitted that there are still some concerns about it.

“We must make it work because it will protect a huge number of our people from hunger and malnutrition… We must take it to the people and make it a central part of our political campaign,” she said.

Gandhi also rejected criticism that the Congress and the government were accused of not not tackling the scourge of corruption. “This is deliberate and malicious misinformation.”

She referred to three bills – protection of whistleblowers,judicial accountability and strengthening anti-money launder operations,and other measures like citizens’ charter which,she said,would tackle corruption at the lowest level.