The Hindu : Differences in NDA, Opposition over women's Bill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 20, 2003

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Differences in NDA, Opposition over women's Bill

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI AUG. 19. The sharp political differences within the Opposition and in the ranks of the National Democratic Alliance on the women's reservation issue were on full display during the debate on the Opposition's no-confidence motion against the Government in the Lok Sabha today. The issue came up when the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, sought to answer the "charge" made by the Leader of the Opposition, Sonia Gandhi, on Monday that the Government had failed to keep the promise made in its manifesto on giving women political reservation. There was virtually a debate on the issue today within the larger debate on the no-confidence motion exposing the differences over it on both sides of the political divide.

Ms. Swaraj pleaded not guilty while conveying the Government's willingness to pass the Bill in any form provided there was political consensus. That was the signal for Somnath Chatterjee (CPI-M) who immediately challenged her. When it came to the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), the Government used the joint session route to overcome the opposition to it in the Rajya Sabha, but on the women's reservation Bill, it has suddenly found virtue in "political consensus", Mr. Chatterjee said. "There is total division within the BJP on this issue. Your NDA will split apart," he said forcefully, challenging Ms. Swaraj to bring the Bill.

But not before the issue had exposed the simmering resentment in the Samajwadi Party, whose leader, Mulayam Singh Yadav, virtually warned the Congress not to press the issue too hard.

A RJD member also objected to Ms. Swaraj's remark on Monday that "Mulayam and Laloo" were stalling the Bill. The member said the RJD was not opposed to women's reservation but wanted to ensure representation for backward caste women. Mr. Yadav pleaded that he was not opposed to women's reservation and charged that there was near consensus on the Election Commission proposal "but the Congress Party did not agree."

If the Opposition unity seemed to be in tatters, the NDA was not unscathed. Devendra Prasad Yadav (JD-U) was up on his feet shouting, adding to the din.

Finally, the Congress deputy leader, Shivraj Patil, said the Government should not shift its own responsibility to get the legislation passed to the Opposition.

And since no one was arguing that reservations for women in panchayats was wrong, why should it not be done for the Assemblies and the Lok Sabha?

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