President unfazed by women's bill ruckus

Unfazed by Monday's developments in the Rajya Sabha, President Pratibha Patil said that it will be 'graceful' if the Women's Reservation Bill is passed after consultation 'as far as possible.'

"Not at all", Patil said, when asked if she was disappointed with what happened on Monday in the Upper House, adding that she was confident that it will go through.

"It would be graceful if it is passed by consultation... as far as possible, it (the passage) should be based on consultation," she said interacting with women journalists at Rashtrapati Bhawan on the occasion of International Women's Day.

The Rajya Sabha witnessed unruly scenes created by the Members of Parliament of Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Bahujan Samaj Party as soon as Law Minister M Veerappa Moily moved the Bill, which provides for 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

The President earlier in her address to the joint session of the Parliament appealed to the political parties to facilitate the passage of the bill as the government was committed to it.

Describing as 'initial teething problems' the contentions of many that the proposed reservation will promote relatives of politicians, Patil said with the passage of time, these things will sort out on their own, like in the case of Panchayati Raj.

Patil, however, said, reservation was not the answer. It will only facilitate the process of women's entry into politics.

Image: President Pratibha Patil