Women’s quota Bill: Govt ready for talks with opposition

Realising the risks in a direct confrontation with some of the opposition parties who are against the Women’ Reservation Bill and reports of dissension even within the main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Manmohan Singh government has agreed to consult all parties before moving the proposed legislation in the Lok Sabha.

The government made a formal commitment in the Lok Sabha with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee declaring that before introducing the Bill, “the government will complete the process of consultations with all concerned”. Following his statement, the Lok Sabha, which was adjourned thrice after anti-Bill MPs created an uproar on Thursday, resumed smooth functioning.

The statement came after Mukherjee held a meeting with the three Yadavs –– Mulayam Singh (SP), Lalu Prasad (RJD) and Sharad Yadav (JD-U) –– who have reservations over the Bill for not earmarking a quota for OBC and Muslim women. Later, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi hosted a dinner for coalition MPs and their spouses.

Although what transpired in the meeting – also attended by Mamata Banerjee (Trinamool Congress), Sharad Pawar (NCP) and T R Baalu (DMK), was not disclosed, it was learnt that the anti-Bill leaders proposed scaling down the quota from 33 to 20 per cent and that a quota-within-quota clause possibility be explored at the earliest.

A section of the Congress, especially some MPs belonging to the Rajya Sabha, which has already passed the Bill, are said to have demanded there be no dilution and that it be passed in its present form.

At the meeting, the three Yadavs leaders strongly criticised the use of marshals in the Rajya Sabha. Sharad Yadav, whose party leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has taken a pro-Bill stand, asked the government to adopt ways of discussion and eschew the path of confrontation with the Opposition.

If the government conceded to the demand of the Yadav troika, the BJP too was facing some resentment among backward caste MPs. In fact, the BJP had made a claim that over 70 per cent of MPs from all parties had reservations on the women’s bill. The party top leadership invited the MPs for tea at the residence of senior leader L K Advani.

Following the meeting, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, one of the main forces behind the Bill, dismissed suggestions that some of her party MPs were against the Bill. Two members who had spoken against the Bill – chief whip Ramesh Bais and Hukumdeo Narayan Singh – denied they were unsupportive of the Bill, while another MP, Yogi Adityanath, continued to attack it. However, BJP sources said there we re several MPs who were prepared to defy the whip at the time of voting.

Following fears of a revolt, the BJP cracked the whip and said every party MP will vote in favour of the Bill as and when it is taken up in the Lok Sabha. BJP leader in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj got into action , calling party MPs telephonically and giving them a piece of her mind for speaking out against the Bill in public.

- Asian Tribune -