Rahul breaks silence on Lokpal Bill only to become hero of zero-hour?

As uncertainty continued on whether Anna Hazare would end his 11-day fast for a stronger Lokpal bill, Congress General Secretaryu00a0 Rahul Gandhi yesterday used zero-hour -- significant parliamentary time that enables MPs to raise urgent matters that require the government's attention -- to break his silence on the issue, saying the bill alone could not eradicate corruption. But it only created uproar in the House.

He also suggested that the institution of the ombudsman be given constitutional status like the Election Commission. According to experts, if Lokpal is made a constitutional body, it will also run the risk of becoming corrupt.

In his first comments on the nationwide debate on corruption, Gandhi told the Lok Sabha that the hotly contested bill was only "one element" to eradicate corruption. He also thanked the 74-year-old Hazare for helping people articulate their feelings of disillusionment.

"It is not a matter of how the present impasse will resolve, it is a much greater battle," he said. "Witnessing the events of the last few days, it would appear that the enactment of a single bill will usher in a corruption-free society. I have serious doubts about this belief.

"An effective Lokpal law is only one element in the legal framework to combat corruption. The Lokpal institution alone cannot be a substitute for a comprehensive anti-corruption code," Rahul said. This led to an uproar, and Gandhi had to interrupt his speech for several minutes.