Geopolitics
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India passes anti-corruption Lokpal Bill

18 Dec 2013, 09:32 am Print

India passes anti-corruption Lokpal Bill
New Delhi, Dec 18 (JEN) More than 40 years since its demand and several fasts by social activist Anna Hazare, the Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the anti-corruption Lokpal Bill after it was cleared by the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, marking a historic footprint in Indian polity with the bill now set to be a law under which an anti-graft ombudsman would probe financial wrongdoings in even highest levels.

In Ralegan Siddhi village in Maharashtra, the mood was one of celebrations as they celebrated with fasting social activist Anna Hazare the passage of the bill, seen as an outcome of an unrelenting movement by Hazare. 
 
Anna Hazare also broke his fast on its ninth day after the passage of the Bill with two small children- a boy and a girl- helping him drink the juice. Activist Kiran Bedi was present at the venue and she spoke passionately about the success of Anna's long movement. 
 
After the passage of the Bill, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said she is very happy that the Bill has been passed.
 
"This is a big step. But things will not end with this. If you want to actually fight corruption, you need a framework," said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi saying more bills needed to be passed to make the country corruption free.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar had set a four-hour debate for the Bill in Lok Sabha but it all ended in an hour. Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die. 
 
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said Congress is trying to take credit for the bill's passage but the credit goes to the people of the country. 

Earlier on Tuesday, in a rare political consensus, the Rajya Sabha  passed the Lokpal Bill after hours of debate, triggering jubilation in the village in Maharashtra where activist Anna Hazare was undergoing fast in demand of the anti-corruption law. 
 
Samajwadi Party of Mulayam Singh Yadav was the lone party opposing the bill. 
 
Lokpal will become a law now, ending a nearly 45-year-long struggle for it which was intensified in recent times by the frequent fasts by Anna Hazare and his followers.  

Lokpal or national ombudsman will be empowered to probe corruption charges against public figures and government officials, and even the Prime Minister. 

"It is a revolutionary step in Rajya Sabha today after 40 years. Tomorrow it will be so in Lok Sabha I believe," said Anna and shouted slogans like "Bandemataram and Inquilab Zindabad". 

"I urge Lok Sabha members to pass the bill," said Anna.

Later Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath also called the move historic. "People's faith will again be restored. It is a historic day. It was the need of the hour because of the growing lack of confidence in the political and administrative system," he said. 

Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal said the law will be strong and it will go a long way in fighting corruption. "I give credit to the political class for this," he said.