Advani confident of Lokpal Bill being passed in Parliament

Pune, Nov 4: BJP leader L K Advani today (Nov 4) exuded confidence that the Lokpal Bill will be passed in the Winter Session of Parliament, but said corruption in the country was not because of inadequacy of laws.

"I don't think why it should not be accepted and passed.I believe that if the Congress and the BJP agree on something, it is done. We had helped in getting passed the resolution that Team Anna wanted.If we did not agree, it would not have happened," he told reporters here today.

Asked if the Lokpal Bill will help curb corruption in the country, Advani said, "I do not believe that corruption in the country is because of inadequacy of laws.

"I do not subscribe to this view basically," he said. Advani said even though Anna Hazare's Jan Lokpal Bill had four basic shortcomings, he had asked even his party colleagues not to point out these shortcomings publicly, because Hazare's campaign was against corruption.

He said when Anna's team had come to meet us to discuss the issue, four basic flaws in the Jan Lokpal Bill had been told to them, to which they agreed.

He, however, stressed that the Prime Minister should come under the Lokpal.

Advani said the party's focus in the ensuing Winter Session of Parliament would be on inflation, corruption and black money.

Stating that high food inflation was causing agony to the poor, he hoped that most of the opposition parties will also support them in Parliament.

PTI