'No party favours reservation for women'

The roles have been neatly carved out and the lines practiced and perfected over the years. The farce over the Women's Reservation Bill is played with ease in every Parliament session.

The Bill that promises 33 per cent seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures for women has been a victim of the deep divisions of Indian polity and the vested interests of the sitting LS members. The result, six years after being introduced in Parliament it's fate hangs fire.

The Bill has a predictable journey every time it is introduced. Despite the support it enjoys, the Bill fails at every attempt. Despite opposition from its OBC, SC/ST MPs, both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress support it. Despite Rabri Devi threatening to send him hungry to bed, the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief, Laloo Prasad Yadav, continues to oppose it.

The Bill was first promised by H D Deve Gowda in June, 1996. It was first introduced by Ramakanth Khalap, law minister in the I K Gujaral ministry. But Gujaral faced internal revolts over the decision to introduce the Bill and ever since it has been in a state of stalemate and that seems to please a majority of the MPs.

If the Bill were to ever become a law, there would be a minimum of 33 per cent women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. Presently, the Lok Sabha has less than 10 per cent women.

A senior Delhi politician asks, "There are only seven Lok Sabha seats in the capital, and so many male contenders. Who would want to see women just coming in and taking over two of these seats?"

Former chairperson of the National Women's Commission, Mohini Giri, says the men are feeling insecure. "An MP was telling me the other day 'Madam why do you want to take our seats away? Instead of that, why don't you ask for 180 additional seats'. My immediate response was 'are we fools'?"

"People are tired. Grassroots are disappointed. Even the panchayats are giving reservation to women," Giri adds.

"This has become a farce. It is our right to participate in our democracy and we are being deprived of it. This is not fair. Why should we wait for a consensus for this Bill when other Bills are being passed even with opposition. Let it be put to vote," she says.

Those opposing the Bill say it would only help the educated and affluent women of the society gain entry into Parliament. They demand a sub-quota within the Bill for the other backward classes and SC/STs.

The opposition to the Bill for long has been (officially) led by the Samajwadi Party of Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Rashtriya Janata Dal of Laloo Prasad Yadav and other smaller groups. Interestingly, even members of the Samata Party, one of the few parties where a woman (Jaya Jaitley) is a key figure, are opposed to it.

Unofficially, the shouting brigade that has for long managed to stall the Bill receives unstinted support from several members from both the BJP and the Congress.

Sometime back Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called up Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi to tell her that her husband and her party are among the main opponents of the Bill. Rabri Devi told Swaraj that if Laloo opposed the Bill, she wouldn't give him 'dana-pani'. Swaraj in turn told Rabri if the Bill was passed she should treat her hubby to 'litti chokha,' a Bihari delicacy.

Laloo didn't get to eat 'litti chokha.' Surely, he is not missing it.

On Wednesday, when Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi announced in the House that the Bill was being "deferred for the time being,"  members of the RJD, the Samajwadi Party as well as those from the Samata Party, the Janata Dal (United) and the Shiv Sena were seen thumping the desks. Their job for the day was done.

Laloo wasn't present, because he is no more a member of the Lok Sabha. As he was leaving the Rajya Sabha, where he is presently a member, Laloo appeared a happy man.

In the all-party meeting during the day, Speaker Manohar Joshi was forced to announce the deferring of the Bill. The differences were too shrill.

Protesting MPs rushed to the well during the Question Hour, saying they would never allow the Bill to be passed in the present form.

Familiar faces, mostly from Bihar and UP, form the 'opposition brigade'.

In fact, it was the Congress that initially championed the sub-quota for women within the Bill. The late Rajesh Pilot and BJP's Uma Bharati were among the first ones to raise the demand.

Rajya Sabha member Shabhana Azmi asks why is it that when it comes to this specific Bill 'lung power' is allowed to rule the Lok Sabha. She says no political party is in favour of the Bill and in the first available chance they want to dump it.

Communist Party of India general secretary, A B Bardhan, says: "Unless the ruling party has the will power, it [the Bill] is not going to be passed. How can the speaker adjourn it when there is 3/4th vote in the House? This entire farce shows us that in the heart of hearts the BJP does not wish it to be passed."

Many women MPs draw parallels with the Prevention of  Terrorism Act, pointing out that despite much protest the government got it passed. "But when it comes to the women's reservation the government doesn't want to show such a commitment," says a woman leader of the ruling BJP.

Former chairperson of the Delhi Women's Commission, Sheela Ghatate, says the fate of the Bill is so because there are hardly any women in decision-making positions.

"It is the nature of public action. Unless there are women in power this is not going to change. There are some men who are sympathetic to the cause, but most other are scared of losing their seats."