Kolkata, May 10: Despite the support of most political parties the Women's Reservation Bill had failed to get passed in the Lok Sabha because many men MPs were afraid of losing their seats, Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson Najma Heptulla said today. "It is a case of apprehension about their (male members) employment!" she said when asked why the bill was facing so much opposition.
Though most members gave their consent while discussing the bill outside the House and were willing to vote for it, the equations changed inside the house. "The moment they have to press on the yes button, they become apprehensive of what could be in store for them in the next elections," Heptulla told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar. Heptulla, one of the most vocal proponents of the bill, said women MPs were lobbying at their individual levels to ensure that the legislation was passed in the monsoon session of Parliament.
"And I, for one, will keep on trying to see that the bill gets through - at least in my lifetime," she added. Speaking at the seminar, Heptulla rued that there was "something wrong" if Parliament had only 7.5 per cent women's representation even after 50 years of independence.
"It is not that women do not want to attain positions of leadership. It is just that there is simply no environment either at the grassroots or up above for them to be empowered," she said. Bureau Report