Most of the political parties express their support for women’s reservation bill, while the BJP and Congress favoured the passage of the Bill.
During the debate on the Motion of Thanks various political parties focused on the government’s priority of getting the Women’s Reservation Bill passed.
Janata Dal United Leader, Sharad Yadav expressed serious reservations about the proposed bill. Most political parties however, support the bill.
A senior Minister said that the bill is unlikely to come in the budget session and the concerned Parliamentary Standing Committee would have to take a view first.
Leader of Opposition L K Advani said that the bill will be passed by the 15th Lok Sabha, quipping that maybe it was waiting for a woman to occupy the post of President and Speaker.
BJP, which is an ally of the JD(U) in the NDA, sought to make light of Yadav’s remarks with party leader Sushma Swaraj saying, “It is a fact that that JD(U) is an ally and it is also a fact that it is opposed to women’s reservation in Parliament. If we agree on every issue we would not be two different parties but would merge.”
“Our strength may have reduced but the policy (towards the Bill) remains the same,” SP head Mulayam Singh Yadav told reporters.
Party general secretary Amar Singh also added that “SP has never opposed women’s reservation but the present format is not acceptable to us”.
RJD leaders have skirted the issue when asked for their opinion on the bill.
The Left parties want the bill to be passed in its present form and have said they fully support the bill.
