The Hindu : Bill not dropped, PM tells women

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

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Bill not dropped, PM tells women

By Our Special Correspondent

Representatives of women's organisations coming out of the Prime Minister's residence in New Delhi on Wednesday after lodging their protest against non- tabling of the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament. — Photo: V. Sudershan

NEW DELHI MAY 7. Agitated over the stalling of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, representatives of the several women groups stormed the Prime Minister's residence this morning and expressed their displeasure in an unscheduled meeting with him.

Giving a patient hearing, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, assured them that another attempt would be made to table the Bill in the next session of Parliament and that it had not been dropped. However, he suggested that women should consider the "alternative" proposal of providing reservation within the political parties.

Describing the deferring of the Bill in the male-dominated Parliament as a "betrayal of women", the delegation told Mr. Vajpayee that their hopes had risen after they had been assured of a smooth passage for the Bill following the all-party meeting. Whatever happened in the House on Tuesday was nothing less than "Parliamentary terrorism". "We wanted an apology from the MPs who had used derogatory language against women in Parliament yesterday and all such remarks be expunged from the proceedings,'' Ranjana Kumari, coordinator of the Joint Action Front for Women, told The Hindu.

Their next plan of action would be to mobilise women to defeat the "anti-democratic and anti-women" forces in the country in the coming elections. Ms. Kumari said they had told Mr. Vajpayee that his "lack of conviction" had stopped him from seeing the Bill through despite the necessary two-third majority in the House. The Bill was not even taken up for discussion, what kind of message did such action send across for women, they asked the Prime Minister. When Mr. Vajpayee suggested that women should agree to an alternative proposal for reservation within the parties, the delegation said that neither the Government nor any political party had come forward with the proposal. "We want 182 seats in Parliament and nothing less,'' we told Mr. Vajpayee and as far as meeting the Lok Sabha Speaker was concerned, the delegation brought it to Mr. Vajpayee's attention that he was from a party that was openly opposed to the Bill," Ms. Kumari claimed.

The Prime Minister met the delegation, representing 25 organisations, as the women refused to leave the premises despite repeated requests by the PMO staff and the securitymen to seek an appointment. The drama unfolded at 10 a.m. when about 250 women gathered near 7, Race Course Road and began marching towards the house.

Taken by surprise, the policemen came towards them, warning them of arrest if they violated the prohibitory orders. While some women offered to court arrest, about 25 of them reached the reception where they insisted on meeting the Prime Minster. The absence of women policemen perhaps made their job easier.

The Joint Action Front for Women has now sought an appointment with the Lok Sabha Speaker, Manohar Joshi.

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