New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants a "strong" Lokpal bill and not the "weak" government version, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said in the house Thursday.

Initiating the debate on the Lokpal bill in the house, Jaitley said: "We don't want the present bill but also don't want to go back today (Thursday) without passing a Lokpal bill. We want a strong Lokpal bill."

Calling for sense of the nation to prevail, he appealed to all the members of the house to support passage of a strong Lokpal bill.

"We could not pass the Lokpal bill eight times before and that has put a question mark on all of us. The whole country is watching our debate and people will not forgive those supporting a weak Lokpal bill," he said.

The BJP leader said that it was a test for all the members of the house -- would they allow a weak bill or support amendments to make it a strong bill? "Today we will see if they (MPs) are only willing to proclaim or are willing to strike," he added.