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Women's Bill stonewalled
amid pandemonium: PTI

In the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee faced the wrath of women members from the Congress, Left Front and Bharatiya Janata Party allies, including the Telugu Desam Party, who gheraoed him, to protest against the delay in bringing forward the bill in the House.

Women members went on the offensive after the House adjourned for two hours over the issue amid uproarious scenes.

In the Lok Sabha, SP, BSP and RJD members stormed the well, shouting, " Mahila bill wapas lo (Withdraw the women's bill)''.

In the melee, women members from the Congress and BJP, who had moved to the front benches, shouted, " Mahila bill lagoo karo (Implement the women's bill)''.

Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, sitting with senior ministers in the front row, shouted slogans in support of the bill.

With only a day to go before the winter break, Speaker G M C Balayogi rushed through with listed business, asking ministers and members to lay papers against their names.

He called on Environment and Forest Minister T R Baalu to respond to a calling attention motion and allowed tabling of special mentions.

Vajpayee and Leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi were present in the Lok Sabha when the Speaker adjourned the House for the day, after repeated pleas to restore order went unheeded.

The 85th Constitution (Amendment) bill, seeking to reserve 33 per cent seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, was listed for consideration and passage in the day's agenda.

The bill was re-introduced in the 13th Lok Sabha on December 23, 1999 as it lapsed on dissolution of the 12th Lok Sabha.

Shortly before the House met, an all-party meeting convened by Balayogi failed to arrive at a consensus on the reservation issue.

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