Vajpayee suggests lesser quota for women

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 4. After virtually dropping the Women's Reservation Bill in the last session of Parliament ``for want of consensus'', the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, today opened the issue again by saying that if all political parties decided on an amended Bill - with reduced quota of reservation - it could be considered.

He said the majority in the Lok Sabha favoured the Bill but there were differences on the quantum of reservation.

The quota of 33 per cent was arrived at looking to the reservation for women in panchayats and local bodies.

``This time it looked that the way out could be making it mandatory for political parties to reserve seats for women, but there was no agreement on that either.

As far as the BJP is concerned, we are ready for either. We want that there should be reservation for women and of a good percentage,'' he said.

``We will make efforts to bring about a consensus. We are not successful yet, but we will keep trying. Our intention should not be doubted,'' he told a predominantly women's gathering at the launching of the Women's Empowerment Year, 2001, with presentation of Stree Shakti Awards, 1999, to five grassroots women.

He said even when the majority in Parliament wanted the Bill to be passed it could not be done and that was happening again.

``Do we want to empower women amidst fisticuffs (hathapai) ?''

Earlier, the Prime Minister bowed at the feet of two women award winners - Ms. Chinnapillai of Pullisery village in Tamil Nadu and Ms. Kinkri Devi, 61, of Ghaton village in Himachal Pradesh - who bent down to touch his feet before receiving their awards.

Others to win awards for exemplary courage and fortitude to change the lives of people around them are cancer-stricken Ms. K.V. Rabiya, 37, of Kerala, Brahmacharini Kamala Bai, 77, of Rajasthan and Ms. Lilatai Pardkar, 75, of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Ms. Rabiya was not present.

The awards carried Rs. one lakh, a citation and a certificate.

The Human Resources Development Minister, Mr. M.M. Joshi said the Government will focus on a particular theme of women's empowerment during each month of the year on issues such as laws for women, health, education, nutrition, entrepreneurship and vision for the future.

The Minister of State, Ms. Sumitra Mahajan Singh, who is credited with conceiving the idea of Stree Shakti Awards and the Women's Empowerment Year, said by recognising some women the department was making them symbols of empowerment and positive thinking on women, by women.

(Caption: The Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, seeking the blessings of a social worker from Madurai at the Stree Shakti Puraskar, 1999, ceremony at New Delhi on Thursday. - PTI)

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Previous : Nitish quits Cabinet
Next     : No-trust vote fails in Nepal