CPI to launch campaign for strong Lokpal Bill: Bardhan

HYDERABAD: Criticising the Congress and BJP for the non-passage of the Lokpal bill in the Rajya Sabha, CPI today said it would organise a campaign in January and February in support of a strong anti-graft ombudsman.

"The main fault for the fiasco in Rajya Sabha which could not take up voting lies with the UPA government. It is their duty to pilot the bill. But the BJP too must share the blame," CPI general secretary A B Bardhan told reporters here.

The BJP's attitude indicated that it lacked sincerity over putting in place a strong Lokpal bill, he claimed.

"We are not going to sit silent and watch the whole issue. In the coming months of January and February, we will be agitating and speaking on the issue of Lokpal," Bardhan said.

"We are discussing with our fraternal parties of the Left. We are in touch with CPI(M), Forward Bloc and RSP to decide how this campaign should be carried out during January and February," he said.

Bardhan is here to attend the three-day party National Council meetings from tomorrow.

CPI and other Left parties have been agitating against corruption and they are in favour of a strong Lokpal bill to effectively fight against the menace of corruption, he said.

The bill, brought in by the UPA government, had some weaknesses, he said, adding that the CPI is not in favour of the government having substantial influence over Lokpal.