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| India parliament debates anti-corruption bill | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Indian parliament has begun debating tough new anti-corruption laws amid a fresh hunger strike by anti-corruption campaigner Anna Hazare. | |
| The Lokpal bill, which Mr Hazare has been demanding, sets up an independent ombudsman with the power to prosecute politicians and civil servants. | The Lokpal bill, which Mr Hazare has been demanding, sets up an independent ombudsman with the power to prosecute politicians and civil servants. |
| Mr Hazare's 12-day fast led to the bill being introduced in parliament in 2011. | Mr Hazare's 12-day fast led to the bill being introduced in parliament in 2011. |
| The lower house passed the bill that year but the upper house adjourned amid chaos without approving the law. | The lower house passed the bill that year but the upper house adjourned amid chaos without approving the law. |
| A string of major corruption scandals has damaged the government's reputation. | A string of major corruption scandals has damaged the government's reputation. |
| Mr Hazare's latest, "indefinite" hunger strike at his village of Ralegan Siddhi in the western state of Maharashtra has entered its eighth day on Tuesday. | Mr Hazare's latest, "indefinite" hunger strike at his village of Ralegan Siddhi in the western state of Maharashtra has entered its eighth day on Tuesday. |
| Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said the majority of parties were agreed that the bill be passed on Tuesday. | Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said the majority of parties were agreed that the bill be passed on Tuesday. |
| The Congress party and the main opposition BJP have said they would support the passage of the bill in the upper house. | The Congress party and the main opposition BJP have said they would support the passage of the bill in the upper house. |
| However, the regional Samajwadi Party, an ally of the Congress, said it would oppose the bill "tooth and nail". | However, the regional Samajwadi Party, an ally of the Congress, said it would oppose the bill "tooth and nail". |
| "When a bill that has eluded a political consensus for decades comes close to actual enactment, cynicism must give way to pragmatism and hope," The Hindu newspaper said in an editorial on Tuesday. | "When a bill that has eluded a political consensus for decades comes close to actual enactment, cynicism must give way to pragmatism and hope," The Hindu newspaper said in an editorial on Tuesday. |
| Over the weekend, Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi pledged his support to the bill, saying it was a "very, very powerful instrument" in the fight against corruption. | Over the weekend, Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi pledged his support to the bill, saying it was a "very, very powerful instrument" in the fight against corruption. |
| However, Arvind Kejriwal, a former top aide of Mr Hazare in the anti-corruption campaign, has said the Lokpal bill which has been placed in the parliament was "weak". | However, Arvind Kejriwal, a former top aide of Mr Hazare in the anti-corruption campaign, has said the Lokpal bill which has been placed in the parliament was "weak". |