Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati has made it clear to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that her party would not support the Women's Reservation Bill in its present form.
Ms. Mayawati sought separate reservation for women belonging to the Dalit, Backward Classes, religious minorities and the poor upper castes within the proposed 33 per cent for women in Parliament and Assemblies. At the same time, the existing system of 22 per cent reservation for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should not be disturbed, she said.
Ms. Mayawati's stand was spelt out in a letter sent to the Prime Minister on Sunday.
Amendments
BSP national general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Satish Chandra Mishra told reporters here on Sunday that if the necessary amendments were not made, his party will not support the legislation in Parliament.
