India: Sonia Blames BJP for Defeat of Constitution Amendment Bill

NEW DELHI (NNN-PTI): Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party for the defeat of Constitution Amendment Bill on Lokpal, saying it exposed its “real face”.

Ms. Gandhi said the BJP had actually committed itself to supporting Constitutional status to Lokpal in the Standing Committee deliberations.

“But yesterday, we saw their real face. The strength we wanted to give to Lokpal Bill, they did not want it and voted against it,” Ms. Gandhi told reporters here.

She did not respond to questions on how the government will get the bill passed in Rajya Sabha as it does not have the numbers. “Happy New Year to you all,” she said as media persons persisted with the query.

Her comments came as government faced an embarrassment in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday as it could not muster the requisite two-third majority for passing the bill that provides Constitutional status to Lokpal and Lokayuktas. -NNN-PTI