Centre calls all-party meet on women’s bill

The government has called an all-party meeting on April 5 to try and evolve a consensus on Women’s Reservation Bill. The bill, which was passed in Rajya Sabha in March amidst high drama, will be introduced in Lok Sabha in the second phase of the budget session beginning April 15.

Congress sources said the meeting had been called primarily to prepare the ground for smooth passage of the bill and avoid the blame that all parties were not consulted before tabling it.

“We are committed to consulting all parties before the parliament session. We are open to discussions on how best to proceed,” prime minister Manmohan Singh said. He, however, dismissed the possibility of diluting the bill.

The meeting of all parties in Lok Sabha will be convened by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, the Congress leader in the lower House. He is flying down from France on Sunday night for the purpose.

SP, RJD, JD (U) and BSP, which are opposed to the bill in its present form, had sought the meeting. But the parties now appear sceptical.

“I don’t think he [Mukherjee] will be open to ideas or even listen to us. I don’t think there will be any outcome of this meeting. I only hope Mukherjee at least listens to the dissenting voices in his own team — allies and party members,” SP spokesman Mohan Singh said.

The Congress is confident the bill will pass. “There are strong views of our allies favouring the bill just as there are strong views of those opposing it. The effort is to evolve a consensus. Our stand is the bill should be passed in the same form as in Rajya Sabha,” Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said.
Law minister M Veerappa Moily said, “The government is going ahead with the bill in its present form.”

Another Congress minister Prithviraj Chavan said, “There is no question of diluting the bill.”

The BJP too is working to ensure the bill is cleared in Lok Sabha.
Party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said, “BJP stands by the bill as it is now.”