Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday night expressed disappointment at the Constitution Amendment Bill on Lokpal failing in the Lok Sabha.
“This is a bit of a disappointment that it could not be passed,” he said after the embarrassment faced by the government in the House. At the same time, he underlined that the government had fulfilled its objective of bringing the two bills to Parliament.
With the Constitution Amendment Bill being defeated, the BJP demanded the resignation of the UPA government on moral grounds. “Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has no moral right to continue in office,” BJP leader Yashwant Sinha told reporters after the embarrassing development for the government.
He said the government could not muster even a simple majority of 273 votes in favour as it managed only 250 votes on the crucial legislation.
“Rahul Gandhi's dream has been shattered. This shows the monumental inefficiency of this government,” he said.
CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said the government should “look into the mirror” as it could not mobilise the required strength for the Constitution Amendment Bill. BJP leader Gopinath Munde also demanded that the UPA government quit as it “miserably failed” to garner support.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi trained the guns on the BJP for the defeat of the Bill, saying “a good idea ought not to have been rejected only for political reasons.”
DMK Parliamentary Party leader T. R. Baalu said the BJP, the AIADMK and the Left parties wanted a strong Lokpal Bill but they were exposed when they ganged up to defeat the Constitution Amendment Bill.
