Strong Lokpal bill is the dream of Congress: Rahul Gandhi

BALLIA/AZAMGARH: Asserting that a strong Lokpal would be brought in the next session of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday trained his guns on BJP, saying it had "killed" the bill for granting constitutional status to the anti-corruption watchdog.

Rahul, who had floated the idea of giving constitutional status to Lokpal, said a strong Lokpal was a dream of Congress that would come true.

The AICC general secretary claimed the BJP leaders were all smiles in the Lok Sabha when the Bill to amend the Constitution in this regard fell through in the LS last month.

"A strong Lokpal bill will be brought in the next session of Parliament without caring about opposition to it," Rahul said, while addressing a series of meetings on the fourth day of his five-day election tour of Uttar Pradesh.

Rahul hit out at the BJP over its Lokpal Bill strategy, saying they shout anti-corruption slogans in public and then "kill" Lokpal Bill in the LS.

"They (BJP leaders) were smiling in the Lok Sabha and said Lokpal is not their dream but ours - Manmohan Singhji, Rahul Gandhiji and Sonia Gandhiji's. I agree. A strong Lokpal is our dream. Just wait and watch, we will bring a constitutional Lokpal and defeat them," he said.

Rahul also accused BSP supremo and UP chief minister Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav of keeping mum on the issue of reservation of Muslims during their reign as head of the state. Rahul andhi also said that when the UPA was launching MNREGA, the leaders from NDA and BSP raised doubts over it.