New Delhi: Unfazed by Monday’s developments in
Rajya Sabha, President Pratibha Patil said that it will be
"graceful" if the Women's Reservation Bill is passed after
consultation "as far as possible".
"Not at all", Patil said, when asked if she was
disappointed with what happened today in the Upper House,
adding that she was confident that it will go through.
"It would be graceful if it is passed by consultation...
as far as possible, it (the passage) should be based on
consultation," she said interacting with women journalists at
Rashtrapati Bhawan on the occasion of International Women's
Day.
The Rajya Sabha witnessed unruly scenes created by the
MPs of SP, RJD and BSP as soon as Law Minister M Veerappa
Moily moved the Bill, which provides for 33 percent
reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
The President earlier in her address to the joint session
of Parliament appealed to the political parties to facilitate
the passage of the Bill as the government was committed to it.
Describing as "initial teething problems" the contentions
of many that the proposed reservation will promote relatives
of politicians, Patil said with the passage of time, these
things will sort out on their own, like in the case of
Panchayati Raj.
Patil, however, said, reservation was not the answer. It
will only facilitate the process of women's entry into
politics.
PTI
First Published: Monday, March 08, 2010, 21:12