New Delhi: Samajwadi party, BSP and RJD were on Sunday isolated in their opposition to the Women`s Reservation Bill on the eve of the landmark legislation coming up in the Rajya Sabha and the measure is expected to sail through with the numbers favouring the government.
SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, BSP chief and Uttar
Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, and RJD strongman Lalu Prasad
stuck to their guns opposing the Bill in its present form and
pushed hard for amendments for a `quota within quota` for the
OBCs, SCs/STs and Muslims for their support.
A divided JD(U), a BJP ally, decided not to issue any whip
to its MPs while RJD issued a whip asking its MPs to oppose
the Constitution (Amendment) Bill hanging fire for 14 years.
The Bill -- reserving one-third seats in the Lok Sabha and
state Assemblies -- being brought in to coincide with the
International Women`s Day is expected to be approved without
any hitch with the Congress, BJP and the Left support, and
backing of some small parties and Independents.
A Constitution amendment needs a two-thirds majority in
voting requiring the support of 155 MPs in the Rajya Sabha for
its passage. The Bill has clear backing of at least 165 MPs in
the House with an effective strength of 233.
BSP and SP have 12 members each in Rajya Sabha while RJD
has four. Former PM HD Deve Gowda, whose JD(S) has two seats,
said his party would give support if there is a OBC quota.
Congress party spokesman Manish Tewari said he foresaw no
issues standing in the way of the Bill.
Law Minister Veerappa Moily said, "After all, the country
needs such a legislation...With all our best of intentions,
the political parties could not evolve a system where adequate
representation was made available to women."
Lalu said his party will oppose "tooth and nail" the Bill
and is "even prepared to be marshalled out" of the House.
Slamming the measure as a "dangerous" one, Mulayam
alleged it was a conspiracy to prevent Muslims, backwards and
Dalits from entering Parliament and state Assemblies.
PTI
