Pune/New Delhi: Reduction in the 33 per cent
quota for the fair sex envisaged in the Womens' Reservation
Bill can be considered to arrive at a consensus, NCP chief
Sharad Pawar said on Sunday.
Pawar, speaking at the concluding session of the NCP's
two-day national conclave at Karla, is perhaps the first UPA
leader to have talked of considering a reduction in the quota.
"A combination of Yadavs has emerged to oppose the Bill.
I had a talk with them. I told them that the Bill could be
amended to address their concerns in respect of OBC and Muslim
women. A reduction in the proposed 33 per cent reservation can
be be considered to arrive at a consensus", he remarked.
So far, Congress leaders have been against reducing the
quota of 33 per cent.
Party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi dismissed lowering of
the percentage as "needless speculation". "We do not live to
tilt at windmills and do imaginary crossing of non-existent
bridges", he said.
Claiming that the campaign by the Yadav trio would turn
out to be a "damp squib", senior party leader V Kishore
Chandra Dev insists there is "no going back" on the 33 per
cent quota.
"The very fact that the Yadavs are bargaining for per
centage meant that they have accepted the principle of
reservation," he said.
Pawar's statement is significant as it comes a couple
of days before the first phase of the Budget session is to
conclude and the government is expected to hold talks with
all concerned over the issue, which obviously includes the
opponents of the Bill.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, March 14, 2010, 23:35