The Hindu : Sushma discusses women's Bill with Sonia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 16, 2003

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Sushma discusses women's Bill with Sonia

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI FEB. 15. The new Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, today held out the hope of reviving the moribund Women's Reservation Bill. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, is likely to convene yet another all-party meeting to try and evolve a consensus on the issue.

In her first interaction with the media after taking over charge, Ms. Swaraj said she had discussed with the Leader of the Opposition, Sonia Gandhi, the possibility of passing the Bill by a majority vote "if a consensus is not possible". The exchange of views took place during the courtesy call Ms. Swaraj paid on Ms. Gandhi after taking charge. She had also called on the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Manmohan Singh.

The Women's Reservation Bill has been put in cold storage, and every now and then the Government makes a feeble attempt to have a discussion only to put it on the back burner once its opponents raise their voice. Both the Congress and the Left parties have been demanding that the Bill be brought before Parliament for discussion.

Ms. Swaraj, who has met several leaders on the issue, made it clear that she would discuss the Bill with its most vocal opponents — such as Mulayam Singh Yadav, and RJD and BSP leaders — to evolve a consensus. She also denied moves to introduce a bill on cow slaughter in the current session of Parliament. Her denial is significant as it comes a day after the BJP sought to corner the Congress by indicating its willingness to introduce such legislation if the latter agreed to support it. The Minister said the Bill did not figure at the meeting she had with the secretaries and senior officers of various Ministries on February 10 to finalise Government business for the three-month-long session.

She clarified that the first part of the budget session would be devoted primarily to the President's address and the financial business. It was up to the parent Ministries to decide which bills they would introduce in this session. The Government was prepared to discuss important issues raised by the Opposition parties.

On Ayodhya, Ms. Swaraj said a meeting of the business advisory committee of both the Houses had been scheduled on the first day of the session. The railway budget would be presented in the Lok Sabha on February 24 immediately after question hour and the general budget on February 28 at 11 a.m. The Government would give priority to a Customs Tariff Amendment Bill, which seeks to replace an ordinance.

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