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NDA divided over women's quota bill

Differences among the constituents of the ruling National Democratic Alliance over the Women's Reservation bill came to the fore in the Lok Sabha today.

But Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan said the government was committed on the issue and that the bill would be introduced after consultations with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Responding to P R Das Munshi (Congress) and others who raised the issue, Mahajan said the government's commitment has been stated in the President's address to Parliament.

However, he declined to give a specific time for the introduction of the bill by merely saying that there are two more weeks before the current session of Parliament concludes.

Das Munshi said even in the minister's statement about the House business next week, there was no mention of the bill, though the President had stated that this was a priority for the government.

But even after two weeks of the current session of Parliament there is no indication about the bill, he said. Madhavrao Scindia (Congress) said the issue is agitating the minds of people and therefore the minister should at least give an assurance.

Prabhunath Singh (Janata Dal-United) registered his objection and said there should be an opinion poll among the people before the bill is introduced.

However, Sudip Bandopadhyaya (Trinamul Congress) said his party, a constituent of the NDA, is in favour of the bill.

UNI

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