The Hindu : Women's Bill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 08, 2003

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Women's Bill

Sir, — It seems that the BJP and the Congress have jointly plotted the death of the Women's Bill. Men will not give away seats to women. Politicians often claim that they are social workers.

Do social workers need positions such as MPs or MLAs to carry out social work? If not, why are these people disinclined to accord 33 per cent reservation to women?

Claims for reservation within reservation — within a political party and for the SC/ST and the OBC reminds me of the pre-Independence period when India was divided into more than 600 princely states.

A day will come when politicians will seek reservations for north India, south India, west India and east India. If the MPs are not able to find solutions to their own problems — such as the Bill — how will they cater for the needs of the common man?

Dinu Jose,
Thiruvananthapuram

* * *

Sir, — The news item on the Women's Bill (May 6) is not surprising.

What is surprising is that the enlightened women members of Parliament are showing immense patience. The time has come for these MPs to show their capability and inherent strength in the same manner as the Mulayam Singhs and Laloo Yadavs.

Members like Shabana Azmi and Margaret Alva can take the lead. Secondly, it is reservation that is important. Anything within the reservation is entirely the prerogative of women and men have no right to dictate or even advise them.

If women MPs and women organisations take this up effectively, none can scuttle the passing of the bill.

Bharat R. Sant,
Hyderabad

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