NEW DELHI: With the numbers on its side, the ruling Congress was upbeat that
the long-pending Women's Reservation Bill that will be presented in Rajya
Sabha on the International Women's Day on Monday for discussion and passage
will sail through without a hitch.
Union law minister Veerappa Moily will present the bill, to amend the
constitution to reserve 33% of seats in Parliament and the state
legislatures, on Monday in Rajya Sabha, where the Congress enjoys the clear
support of 167 MPs in the 245-member house, thanks to major opposition
parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left supporting the measure.
The Congress and the BJP issued whips asking their MPs to be present in
Rajya Sabha on Monday. The Left is also expected to do so as a constitution
amendment bill has to be passed by a 50% majority of both houses of
Parliament.
The Congress, the BJP and the Left have 71, 45 and 22 seats respectively in
the Rajya Sabha. Others who will support are AIADMK (7 MPs), Nationalist
Congress Party (6), Biju Janata Dal (3), Trinamool Congress (2), Asom Gana
Parishad (2), Telugu Desam Party (2) and independents and others (7), taking
the total to 167. The bill needs the support of 163 MPs to clear the upper
house.
Against this, the bill's prominent opponents like the Samajwadi Party, the
Janata Dal-United, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Shiv Sena can muster
only 27 MPs.
Railway minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, which was
considered one of the fence sitters, on Friday said the party would support
the bill.
"We support the women's reservation bill," Trinamool Congress leader Sudip
Bandyopadhyay said.
The DMK, a prominent UPA ally, however, has not revealed its stand. Another
fence sitter is the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) of Uttar Pradesh chief
minister Mayawati.
The BSP has 12 MPs in the Rajya Sabha while the DMK has four.
The equation in the Lok Sabha is a lot more comforable, as the Congress, BJP
and Left between them have 348 MPs in the 545-member house.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made a reference to the bill during his speech
in the Lok Sabha on Friday on the motion of thanks for the president's
address.
"We introduced the Women's Reservation Bill in Rajya Sabha in May 2008. We
have already considered the report of the standing committe of parliament on
this bill. It will be our endeavour to bring the bill before parliament in
this very session. I sincerely hope that hon'ble members will support the
bill, as it would be the strongest affirmation of our commitment to the
empowerment of women," the prime minister said.
Meanwhile, "fully" supporting the bill, the BJP Friday issued a whip to its
party members to be present in the Rajya Sabha Monday.
"A whip has been issued to party MPs to be present in the house on Monday,"
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said.
Asked about the party's stance on the bill, he said the BJP supported it
fully.
"It (the bill) is a long standing commitment. We support it fully," he said.
On Thursday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi told party MPs that she
accorded the "highest importance" to the women's reservation bill and it
would be a "gift to the women of India if it is introduced and passed" in
Parliament on March 8, International Women's Day.
On his part, RJD leader Lalu Prasad Friday urged Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh to convene an all-party meeting "to evolve a consensus" on the bill
before introducing it in Parliament.
On Thursday, Lalu Prasad said in Lok Sabha that his party would oppose the
introduction of the bill in its present form.
"In the name of reservation, prominent (political) leaders' (parliamentary)
chances will be spoiled," Lalu said.