Women's Bill: Lok Sabha resents Gujral's remark

Most political parties on Wednesday challenged Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral's remark that ''there are two opinions on the Women's Reservation bill in every political party, except the Left parties''.

Terming it as unfortunate, Congress leader Sharad Pawar said the prime minister should withdraw his statement. He said the Congress supported the bill. ''Let the United Front bring the bill, we will support it,'' he said.

Pledging their support to the bill, several other leaders said there should be special provisions for women from the other backward classes and minorities.

Responding to the 45-minute impromptu debate on the bill, Gujral said he was committed to gender equality. ''I feel women must come up socially and politically, but there are many respectable objections to the bill,'' he said.

Persuasion and accommodation, Gujral said, would be essential on such an issue.

Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi and Girija Vyas (both Congress) also objected to the prime minister's remark, reiterating their party's support to the bill.

Earlier, raising the issue, Sushma Swaraj (Bharatiya Janata Party) said the bill was postponed on one pretext or the other during the previous sessions.

George Fernandes (Samata Party) said it is the United Front -- not other parties -- which had problems with the bill. Objecting to Gujral's remarks, Fernandes said his party would support the bill. However, there should be special reservation for weaker sections, he said, recalling his own amendment to this effect.

Gujral asked Fernandes whether he was ready to support the bill without the amendment. Fernandes said his party would support the bill even if the amendment was defeated.

Ilias Azmi (Bahujan Samaj Party) said his party had decided to support the bill.

G M Banatwala (Indian Union Muslim League) said his party would not associate with the bill unless reservation was extended to women from minorities and other backward classes.

Somnath Chatterjee (Communist Party of India-Marxist) said a consensus on the issue could be achieved by taking up the bill for debate.

Uma Bharti (BJP) said though her party supported the bill, there were differences between ''(Maruti) Esteem-driving women'' and ''women working on the farm''. When she said Muslims should allow their women to remove purdah and also to enter mosques, E Ahmed (IUML) protested.

UNI

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