BJP govt plans to go ahead with women's bill - The Economic Times

• Messages sorted by: [ author ]
[ publication ][ subject ][ thread ]
• Next message: K Subrahmanyam : "No first use"
• Previous message: Calcutta Bureau : "Basu admits to ISI presence in Bengal"

The BJP-led government on today announced its intentions of
bringing in the Constitution Amendment Bill to reserve quotas
for women members in the Lok Sabha and in state assemblies
during the current session, notwithstanding stringent opposition
from various parties.

Speaking to presspersons after the all-party meeting held here
this evening on the issue, parliamentary affairs minister Madan
Lal Khurana announced the Centre's intentions of bringing in the
controversial bill during the winter session - although a date
has yet to set for this - irrespective of opposition. The move
is being perceived in political circles as an attempt by the
ruling coalition to pin the blame for its blocking this time
round squarely on the Opposition, particularly the Rashtriya
Loktantrik Morcha (RLM) which was among the most vocal objectors
to the legislation. During the Budget session of Parliament, the
ruling BJP had to suffer embarrassment on account of the non-
passage of the bill when its allies such as the Samata Party
also threw a spanner in its works, leading to Prime Minister
Atal Behari Vajpayee himself being placed in an awkward
position. At the time, the Left was the only front which
supported the bill without any conditionalities, urging the
government to bring it in as it is without buckling to demands
for separate quotas for OBC and minority candidates.

Curiously, at today's meeting too, the RLM and the Samata Party
as well as the IUML are understood to have voiced the same
positions on the bill as they did during the Budget session,
virtually ruling out any possibility of a consensus on the
question. The RJD was represented by former food minister
Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and the SP by Mulayam Singh Yadav.

It is against this background that the BJP-led government's
reluctance in going ahead with it in this session is being
viewed as aimed at placing the political blame for the blockade,
of the bill pointedly on the Opposition parties.

The Left too stuck to the same position in support of the bill
that it did during the last Parliament session, paving the way
for a sharp divide within the Lok Sabha. There are differences
within the Congress as well on the legislation, particularly on
the demand for separate minority and OBC quotas. The decision of
the government also falls in place with Mr Vajpayee's strategy
of presenting a decisive face of his government in the post-
assembly poll period. BJP's prime ally from the south, the
AIADMK, today also voiced its demand firmly for the riding party
to bring the controversial legislation during the winter session
itself.

Well apart from the prize chance to earn big brownie points on
political decisiveness at a crucial juncture through introducing
the bill despite opposition, the government is also under
pressure to show its commitment to the legislation from other
quarters.

Leading women's organisations today accused the government of
"double standards," saying it was awaiting a consensus on
Women's Reservation Bill without following such norms on other
controversial bills. "In the last session your government not
only introduced but ensured the passage of the Prasar Bharati
Bill on which there was no consensus and has announced its
intention to introduce the Insurance Bill on which there is no
consensus, " the organisations said in a letter to Mr Vajpayee.

• Next message: K Subrahmanyam : "No first use"
• Previous message: Calcutta Bureau : "Basu admits to ISI presence in Bengal"

Back                          Top