Congress is serious about fighting corruption: Rahul Gandhi

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi yesterday said his party "is serious about fighting corruption" and urged the opposition to help the government pass the anti-graft bills pending in parliament. "It's about a system.

Rahul Gandhi

The Congress party is serious about it (fighting corruption). Let us have a session and pass the (pending) bills together," Gandhi said at a news conference after the party discussed ways to curb corruption and price rise with 11 Congress chief ministers here. "The Lokpal bill is one step. If we want to fight corruption, we need a framework not only at the national level but at the state level," he said.

"But there is silence from the other side," he said referring to the opposition parties, adding: "We are blocked in the parliament again and again." Parliament recently passed the historic Lokpal bill amid din to deal with corruption in high places in the winter session that ended on Dec 18.

Noting that price rise was a concern, Gandhi said price of fruits and vegetable was "the main issue". Corruption charges against the UPA government in the past years and high price rise were listed as reasons behind the Congress rout in recent assembly polls.u00a0