The Hindu : War of words rages over women's bill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 25, 2003

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National

War of words rages over women's bill

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI JULY 24. Contrary to the signals from the Government, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party, that the Women's Reservation Bill (in a new form) will see some forward movement in this session of Parliament, it seems that there is no conformity among the political parties on how to go about it. The Opposition and the ruling parties seem to be using the issue to blame one another.

At the BJP's Raipur national executive committee meeting, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, had said that his Government "will make every effort in relation to the women's bill in the monsoon session of Parliament,'' but with a week over and only two weeks left there is no sign of the bill moving forward.

The BJP leaders are talking of distributing to the MPs of all political parties the BJP's Raipur resolution proposing that one-third of all the Lok Sabha and Assembly seats be made "double-member constituencies'' and seeking their reactions.

The Congress sees in this "a conspiracy to withdraw the Women's Reservation Bill in the form it is pending in the Lok Sabha.''

The war of words among the major parties continues unabated. The BJP spokesperson, V.K. Malhotra, was critical of the Congress for staging a demonstration by its women's wing outside Parliament House two days ago and sending a representation to the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, reiterating its wish to see the bill adopted in its present form.

Mr. Malhotra charged that the Congress had virtually accepted the "double-member constituency'' proposal at a meeting called by the Speaker, Manohar Joshi, just ahead of the start of the monsoon session. "It was the Congress which had suggested that the number of seats be increased in the Lok Sabha by lifting the freeze and the CPI(M) had said that it would consider the proposal after it is formally presented,'' he said, wondering why the main Opposition party had gone back.

However, the Congress said it was committed to the bill as it was, and if anyone wished to bring amendments when the bill is discussed it would consider them at that time.

The party's general secretary, Ambika Soni, alleged that the BJP was "non-serious'' on political reservation for women, it had made no attempt to have even a discussion on it, and that the new proposal made in their party resolution "was a plan to withdraw the women's bill'' as no new bill can be introduced unless the existing one is withdrawn.

"If they were serious the proposal could have been brought as an amendment to the pending bill,'' Ms. Soni said.

The Congress leaders said that it was not for them to advise the ruling party how to go about a discussion on the bill, whether they should use marshals to force out those who insist on stalling it.

The BJP, which knows that there is no consensus on women's reservation within the National Democratic Alliance — in the past the Samata Party and the Janata Dal (U) MPs have openly opposed it — , is keen to put the blame on the Opposition. "Let the Opposition give us its joint proposal and we are prepared to consider it,'' Mr. Malhotra said, but clearly the ruling parties are not willing to build the consensus within the NDA first.

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