Govt Should Show Political Will for Passage of Women’s Bill: Karat
A day after a failed all-party meeting on Women Reservation Bill, the CPM leader Brinda Karat has said that the government should show political will in ensuring passage of the legislation in the Lok Sabha, said media reports.
“The government should show political will,” Karat was quoted as saying.
Karat made the statement while talking about government’s decision to hold further discussions on the bill without setting a time frame, that is, it didn’t clarify if the meeting would be conducted before the house assembles on April 15 or after a three-week break.
“All party meeting should not become alibi to send the bill back to cold storage,” Karat was quoted as saying by IANS.
The bill, which provides 33 percent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies and which the Rajya Sabha passed last month, is being strongly opposed by the SP, RJD, LKP, BSP and a section of JDU.
The opponents of the bill have been insisting on separate quota for minorities, Dalits and backward classes thus demanding quota within quota.
There is apprehension about the future of the bill with the Trinamool Congress, a key ally in the Congress-led ruling coalition, joining the parties demanding quota within quota.
