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Women's quota bill introduced against great odds

Overcoming insurmountable odds and caught in a quagmire of class conflicts, the Women's Reservation Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha today, ending the three-year-long uncertainty.

The bill, providing for 33 per cent reservation for women in The Lok Sabha as well as state assemblies, underwent a harrowing time, with several governments failing to push through it amidst stiff opposition, both overt and covert, from male members belonging to all parties.

Amidst uproarious scenes, Law Minister M Thambidurai introduced the bill much to the delight of the women members who thumped their desks hysterically. The counter-reaction from the RLM members who spearheaded the movement for inclusion of backward, dalit and minority sub quotas in the bill was equally vociferous. They raised slogans for the immediate withdrawal even as the bill was introduced, forcing Speaker Ganti Mohana Chandra Balayogi to adjourn the House for thirty minutes. The Bahujan Samaj Party members also joined the protest.

The motion for introduction of the bill was put to vote by the Speaker and the House adopted it by voice vote, with the Congress and Left parties joining the ruling BJP coalition in support of it.

The house was adjourned after the introduction of the bill as the RLM members declined to move out of the well.

Earlier, Speaker G M C Balayogi condemned Friday's incidents involving Mamta Banerjee and Daroga Prasad Saroj, and referred the matter to the house committee on privileges with a directive that its recommendations should be given in a stipulated period.

There was tension in the house even before it assembled when Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madanlal Khurana gave directions to ruling party members on how to foil the attempt of the RLM members to block the introduction of the bill. Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav arrived a few minutes later and RLM members surrounded him for a brief strategy session.

Immediately after Balayogi gave the ruling on Friday's episode, the ministers were asked to lay their papers. Law Minister M Thambidurai was today seated in the second row of the treasury benches, possibly to prevent the possibility of papers being snatched away.

The RLM members had by then gathered at the well of the house shouting slogans that the controversial bill be withdrawn. Amidst the din, Thambidurai introduced the bill and the speaker put the motion for introduction to voice vote. The house later adopted the introduction of the bill. Balayogi adjourned the house till 1500 hrs when the RLM members' slogan-shouting reached a crescendo.

UNI

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