This refers to the report that the Centre is keen on pushing through the Women's Reservation Bill (March 5), which seeks to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and the State legislatures. It is heartening to know that the BJP and the Left parties, too, have decided to support the government. I hope the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day will indeed be a special one.
Aishwarya Prem Renu,
Chennai
The Women's Bill has been hanging fire for too long for various reasons. It would be best to keep the main objective — of providing 33 per cent reservation — in focus, to begin with. The fine-tuning of the Bill can be taken up later as and when a consensus evolves. The Constitution provides for reservation to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the legislature. Implementing another category of reservation will be fraught with practical problems.
As for reservation within reservation, it should be left to the good sense of the parties that cry hoarse to field the requisite number of women in elections.
K.M. Sundaram,
Chennai
In principle, the proposal to give representation to women in Parliament and the State legislatures is laudable. But how many educated women are willing to become parliamentarians? Also, how independent are our women? They have so far remained confined to homes. One wonders how many will contest elections even if the bill is passed.
T.S. Nagarajan,
Chennai
