Rahul Gandhi seeks support of Opposition to pass pending anti-corruption bills

Rahul Gandhi appeals to Opposition to pass pending anti-corruption bills, Street Vendors Bill

NEW DELHI: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi appealed to the parties in Opposition to support the passage of six pending anti-corruption bills and the Street Vendors Bill in the Parliament session which will start on Wednesday. On several earlier occasions also Rahul Gandhi has been making a strong pitch for creating a framework to fight corruption.
In a brief interaction with the media after meeting hundreds of street vendors at his residence, the Congress Vice President said the Street Vendors Bill is about their rights and he supports it. "My request is also to the Opposition parties that they should not stop such bills -- the bills related to (fighting) corruption and the bill related to the rights of the street vendors. Everybody should join hands to pass these bills," said Rahul Gandhi.
The anti-graft bills on which Rahul Gandhi has been laying emphasis on are The Whistleblower Bill, Amendment to Prevention of Corruption Act, Grievance Redressal Bill, Public Procurement Bill, the Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organisations Bill, Electronic Delivery of Services Bill, The Right of Citizens for Time-bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill. The Congress leader believes that the passage of the Lokpal bill alone won't suffice and a whole framework to fight corruption is required.
Apart from vote on account, the passage of anti-graft bills is the main legislative agenda of the government in this extended winter session. Rahul Gandhi has been supporting the Street Vendors Bill. During an interaction with the street vendors on January 30, he had promised that he will push for the clearance of the bill in the upcoming session.
The street vendors, who met Rahul Gandhi under the banner of National Association of Street Vendors of India, requested him to ensure that the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill is passed by Rajya Sabha so that they can get freedom from "rampant extortion and terror of police and municipal agencies".