Sonia Gandhi to fight for passage of Lokpal bill

Sonia Gandhi says will fight for passage of Lokpal bill

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has asserted that she will fight for the passage of the Lokpal bill in the Parliament and hit out at the opposition for obstructionist tactics.

Noting that the sole objective of the BJP led NDA is to derail the govt's agenda, Sonia said that govt will not be deterred by it as our commitment is to the people of the country.
"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 27^th Dec over the Lokpal issue.

"I will fight for Lokpal and women's reservation issue", she told reporters close on the heels of telling the Parliamentary Party, "I cannot see any reason for us to be defeatist".

She said that to tackle the issue of corruption, three bills with major implications are to be passed soon- those relating to the protection of whistle blowers, enhancing judicial accountability, strengthening anti-money laundering operations and controlling bribery of Indian public officials by foreign companies.

"Just yesterday, Government has approved the Lokpal Bill which is also to be introduced and passed," Gandhi said.

Attacking the Opposition, especially the BJP-led NDA, Gandhi said, "Let us fight the forces out to destabilise us, forces who have never accepted the verdict of 2004 and never reconciled themselves to the renewed mandate we got in 2009."

She said, "The Opposition may be loud but it is opportunistic. Logic and merit are lost in their obstructionist tactics."

"Food for all" is the resolve of Congress President Sonia Gandhi for the New Year.
She said this to reporters after the meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) when asked about her plans and priorities for 2012.