9 oppn parties stage protest; demand strong Lokpal

Demanding a strong Lokpal bill against corruption, nine non-National Democratic Alliance opposition parties including the Left, Telugu Desam Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal on Tuesday staged a protest at the main gate of Parliament.

"Nine parties have launched a country-wide agitation. We want the government to come forward with a strong Lokpal bill," Communist Party of India leader D Raja told reporters.

Holding placards, leaders of the four Left parties along with leaders of RLD, TDP, Janata Dal (Secular), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Biju Janata Dal, including former Prime Minister H D Devegowda, Sitaram Yechury (CPM), Ajit Singh (RLD) and Nama Nageshwar Rao (TDP) raised slogans in support of their demand.

"Government Lokpal Bill is not effective and we need an effective Lokpal. The Parliamentary process is on and it has been referred to the Standing Committee. All the nine parties will take up this issue through Parliamentary procedures as well as popular protest outside for an effective Lokpal," Yechury said.

On the statements made by the prime minister on the Lokpal issue, he said, "The prime minister is making all sorts of statements outside. The session is on and things should not be said outside. I think this is undermining the supremacy of Parliament and that can't be allowed."

Meanwhile, Om Prakash Yadav, an independent member of Parliament from Siwan, sat on a dharna near Mahatma Gandhi's statue inside Parliament House complex in support of Hazare's Jan Lokpal bill.

The MP, who is supporting the Government, said he will discuss the issue with the people in his constituency and he may also consider withdrawing his support.