21 December,2011 05:33 PM IST | | Agencies
Congress President Sonia Gandhi today backed the government on the Lokpal Bill saying she would fight for its passage.
"I will fight for Lokpal," she told reporters after addressing the general body meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP).
She told the MPs that just yesterday the government has approved the Lokpal Bill, which is to be introduced and passed.
Gandhi referred to the opposition criticism that Congress and the government was not doing anything to tackle the scourge of corruption and said "this is deliberate and malicious misinformation."
Amid the belligerent mood of the Opposition over the Lokpal issue, Congress leaders today also hoped of a positive outcome and said it was not worried about any threat.
"We must act and think positive. We expect collective wisdom of Parliament will do something," Congress spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi told reporters when asked whether Lokpal Bill will be passed in the session given the mood of the Opposition.
He also said that the Congress is not worried over Team Anna's agitation threat. "We are not worried about any challenge," he said in reply to a question whether the proposed agitation will create law and order problems.
On Anna Hazare's comment that Lokpal Bill is nothing but cheating with the people, Dwivedi said, "I do not consider this view deserves my comment."
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Asked if there is any difference between party and the government, he said, "Soniaji has completely rejected this criticism in the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting. She said that there may be different points of views so far any issue is concerned. But as far as working is concerned party and the government are working together and marching together with one voice and approach."
Another Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said BJP and other Opposition parties are opposing the Lokpal Bill just for the sake of opposition.
"We know whatever we pass they are bound to oppose," he said, adding, "People are with us and we will pass the bill in Parliament."
