The Samajwadi Party said on Wednesday that the remarks of its president, Mulayam Singh, on women were misinterpreted and that their import was not understood.
At a press conference here, Leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Parishad and senior Samajwadi Party leader Ahmed Hasan said what Mr. Singh meant was that should the male representation dwindle in Parliament, the youth would have to dawdle their time on the streets.
Mr. Hasan said the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party did not want women from the poorer sections to enter Parliament. The Women's Reservation Bill was a conspiracy to prevent Dalit, Other Backward Classes and Muslim women from entering Parliament.
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The Samajwadi Party always favoured special opportunities for women, he said. Mr. Mulayam Singh wanted justice done to the Dalits, the Other Backward Classes and Muslim women. It was Mr. Singh who introduced gender budgeting, Kanya Vidya Dhan and a programme to provide girl students with school uniform when he was Chief Minister.