Govt ready for all-party meet to narrow down differences: Pranab
2010-03-11 [12:56:00 hrs] | |  | Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday clarified the UPA government’s stance on the Women’s Reservation Bill and said that the government is not against convening an all-party meet. The finance minister also assured that ‘all issues’ are open for discussion. |
| | | Responding to the accusations by Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Sharad Yadav that the bill is discriminatory against Dalits, OBCs and minorities, Pranab said, ‘the fact of the matter is that on this issue there are divergent views. There were discussions, we could not, unfortunately, reach at a conclusion, although various attempts were made.’
‘You (Yadav trio) stated that an all-party meet be called. There is no harm in calling an all-party meet. The government has made it clear that various options can be explored to narrow down differences,’ he stressed.
Pranab, however, took expectation to the continuing disruptions in both the houses of the Parliament over the issue. Slamming the Yadavas, he said, ‘all these issues can be raised, can be debated and can be decided by the 543 members sitting here belonging to different political parties but opposition must allow the house conduct normal business. Nothing can be achieved by stalling the proceedings.’
‘All issues will be discussed before the introduction of the bill in the Lok Sabha. We will consult you,’ he added.
A response from the government was necessitated as the Rajya Sabha also had to be adjourned today over the issue. In the Lok Sabha, with many important bills like the finance bill pending, as soon as the house convened at 11 am, the Yadavs once again raised the tempo over their opposition to the bill.
Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav once again advocated the need for a quota within the quota and pressed the need for an amendment.
Talking a similar line, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav while condemning the bill opined the need for an all-party meet to decide on the same.
Taking on the baton from Sharad Yadav, Lalu said, ‘we are being asked to sign a death certificate. We are not against Women’s Reservation Bill, we are only asking for representation of women from Muslim, Dalit and OBC community.’
However, owing to the continuing chaos in the house, Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the house till 2 pm. Meanwhile, the BJP has rubbished all reports of a division within its ranks over the bill. Party’s leader in the Lok Sabha Shushma Swaraj said that the BJP will issue a whip in favour of the bill when it comes for voting in the lower house.
The Bill is expected to be introduced in the Lok Sabha after April 12 when Parliament comes back from almost a month-long recess, beginning March 15.
The final decision on the time-table is to be taken by floor leaders on Friday, but with just one working day available- which is scheduled to be utilised for clearing financial bills and moving the bill to replace an ordinance on monuments- there is little likelihood of the bill being tabled before the recess.
At the moment, the UPA leaders are keeping their fingers crossed since they are aware that any adverse development might set the bill to the back burners.
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