So keen is Congress President Sonia Gandhi to have the women's reservation bill passed in the Rajya Sabha that she told women MPs of her party who met her during on Thursday that "even if they have to snatch papers and tear them" they must do so to ensure that the bill is passed in the upper house of Parliament.
A senior woman MP of the Congress said that what the Congress president meant was that the party's Rajya Sabha MPs must be pro-active during the consideration and passing of the bill and must match the Yadav clan who have declared "war"on the women reservation bill by ensuring that they do not hijack the proceedings of the house during the debate.
The Business Advisory Committee of the Rajya Sabha which met on Thursday has allotted one day for the debate on the women bill with Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India-Marxist making it clear in the meeting that the issue has been debated for the last many many years and they would be game to vote for the bill even without a discussion.
The Bharatiya Janata Party which is also backing the bill has also made it clear to the ruling Congress that they would be willing to vote for the bill even if there even if there are severe disruptions and some parties did not allow a discussion to take place.
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi who addressed the general body meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party made it clear that along with the Food security bill, the women's reservation bill formed the topmost priority for the United Progressive Alliance. She said that March 8 is the centenary celebrations of the International Women's Day and "what a gift to the women of India if we can pass the bill on that day". What she meant was that if it can be passed in the Rajya Sabha on that day, which itself would be a historic step forward in the bill finally seeing the light of day.
The actual strength of the Rajya Sabha is 250 and currently there are 12 vacancies. A constitution amendment bill like the women's reservation bill needs to be passed by two thirds of the members present and voting and with congress, BJP and left ranged on the same side, a two-thirds majority is not a problem for the government.
The Congress has begun moves to discuss the issue with all likeminded political parties which are on board as far as the bill is concerned and which includes National Democratic Alliance partners like the Biju Janata Dal and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Bansal has begun dinner diplomacy to garner support for the bill. He is hosting a dinner for