The Women’s Reservation Bill is in paper for more than a decade. It assured a minimum of 33 percent reservation for women in the Parliament and legislatures. This is a great attempt in the route to empowerment of women in independent India. The low position of women in the Indian society is entrapping social progress. Indian women have been historically denied social, economic, and political opportunities. The transformation of the bill into a law will be a breakthrough in the process of social reformation. Upliftment of the status of women largely depends upon their very own political representations in a democratic system. The success of reservation of seats for women in panchayats enhances the argument for the introduction of the bill in the Parliament.
The union cabinet had approved the introduction of the Women’s Reservation Bill. The very notion of its introduction created rift among the ruling coalition. However, the Congress Party is confident that it would sail through in both the Houses. The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on March 9, 2010. The passage of the bill was being hailed as a positive step towards social reform. The Congress and major opposition parties like the BJP and CPM voted for the Bill. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) strategist now set March 16 deadline for the introduction of the Bill in the Lok Sabha.
Main opponent of the Bill, the Yadav trio - Laloo Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Mulayam Singh Yadav (Samajwadi Party) and Sharad Yadav (Janata Dal (United)) are not as powerful but were shrewd enough in the nuances of coalition politics. Their nature in opposing the said bill in the Rajya Sabha has developed cold feet in the government inspite of the overwhelming majority it secured. Seven opposing MPs belonging to parties like Rashtriya Janata Dal, Lok Janshakti Party and Samajwadi Party had to be forcibly removed from the House. The Congress led UPA is never secure with its thin majority. The UPA has the number. However, there is always a sense of unease among its members.
Politicking is at its best before the March 16 deadline for an observer of the game. On April 27, the opposition tabled a ‘cut motion’ intending to oppose excise duty hike on petroleum products. The motion was moved in Parliament seeking to cut a budgetary grant by a token of Rupees 1. It is a symbol of disapproval. This particular motion sought a cut in the grant of the petroleum ministry. It was another trail of strength for the ruling UPA.
The government at this crunch juncture is recued by some ‘frenemies’. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the RJD, the SP and Janata Dal (Secular) abstain in the crucial voting. This greatly reduced the number which the ruling UPA need to reach. They claimed that they supported the government to keep “communal forces” at bay. Shibu Soren of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), who led a BJP-back government in Jharkhand surprised everyone by supporting the treasury bench.
Politics is a number game. The government has to get the required number where the total strength of its member is 545. The UPA strategist knows how to play the game. And, they played well. They defeated the cut motion by 88 votes. Thus assuring their continuance in office.
In politics, there is no free support. Speculation is widespread that after the Rajya Sabha passed the Women’s Reservation Bill, leaders of the RJD and the SP met Congress managers. It is here they assured the Congress of their support in the impending cut motion if the women’s bill was kept pending. It took 13 long years to introduce Women’s Reservation Bill in the Upper House. And, now its buried in deep waters. No one knows when it will surface again. Women’s Reservation Bill – quo vadis? As in the past, fate of the Bill remains uncertain as ever.
One can argue that the intriguing part of Indian politics in its vagarious nature. However, this very nature of our political elite drove our country backward. Recall as for an example, it is the SP that bailed out the UPA during the ruckus over the Indo-US nuclear deal. The same party opposed them during the women’s bill debate in the Rajya Sabha. Moreover, the same party support the UPA during the cut motion. To achieve real progress, our political parties must have a well entrench policy. They must have a vision for the country. They need to shed using cautiously coined term like ‘issue base (support)’. History must be created to prevent its repetition by itself. History must be a story of progress.
“I am young, I too have a dream.” – Shri (L) Rajiv Gandhi.
The union cabinet had approved the introduction of the Women’s Reservation Bill. The very notion of its introduction created rift among the ruling coalition. However, the Congress Party is confident that it would sail through in both the Houses. The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on March 9, 2010. The passage of the bill was being hailed as a positive step towards social reform. The Congress and major opposition parties like the BJP and CPM voted for the Bill. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) strategist now set March 16 deadline for the introduction of the Bill in the Lok Sabha.
Main opponent of the Bill, the Yadav trio - Laloo Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Mulayam Singh Yadav (Samajwadi Party) and Sharad Yadav (Janata Dal (United)) are not as powerful but were shrewd enough in the nuances of coalition politics. Their nature in opposing the said bill in the Rajya Sabha has developed cold feet in the government inspite of the overwhelming majority it secured. Seven opposing MPs belonging to parties like Rashtriya Janata Dal, Lok Janshakti Party and Samajwadi Party had to be forcibly removed from the House. The Congress led UPA is never secure with its thin majority. The UPA has the number. However, there is always a sense of unease among its members.
Politicking is at its best before the March 16 deadline for an observer of the game. On April 27, the opposition tabled a ‘cut motion’ intending to oppose excise duty hike on petroleum products. The motion was moved in Parliament seeking to cut a budgetary grant by a token of Rupees 1. It is a symbol of disapproval. This particular motion sought a cut in the grant of the petroleum ministry. It was another trail of strength for the ruling UPA.
The government at this crunch juncture is recued by some ‘frenemies’. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the RJD, the SP and Janata Dal (Secular) abstain in the crucial voting. This greatly reduced the number which the ruling UPA need to reach. They claimed that they supported the government to keep “communal forces” at bay. Shibu Soren of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), who led a BJP-back government in Jharkhand surprised everyone by supporting the treasury bench.
Politics is a number game. The government has to get the required number where the total strength of its member is 545. The UPA strategist knows how to play the game. And, they played well. They defeated the cut motion by 88 votes. Thus assuring their continuance in office.
In politics, there is no free support. Speculation is widespread that after the Rajya Sabha passed the Women’s Reservation Bill, leaders of the RJD and the SP met Congress managers. It is here they assured the Congress of their support in the impending cut motion if the women’s bill was kept pending. It took 13 long years to introduce Women’s Reservation Bill in the Upper House. And, now its buried in deep waters. No one knows when it will surface again. Women’s Reservation Bill – quo vadis? As in the past, fate of the Bill remains uncertain as ever.
One can argue that the intriguing part of Indian politics in its vagarious nature. However, this very nature of our political elite drove our country backward. Recall as for an example, it is the SP that bailed out the UPA during the ruckus over the Indo-US nuclear deal. The same party opposed them during the women’s bill debate in the Rajya Sabha. Moreover, the same party support the UPA during the cut motion. To achieve real progress, our political parties must have a well entrench policy. They must have a vision for the country. They need to shed using cautiously coined term like ‘issue base (support)’. History must be created to prevent its repetition by itself. History must be a story of progress.
“I am young, I too have a dream.” – Shri (L) Rajiv Gandhi.
