Sharad Yadav seeks to wriggle out of poison statement

JD-U president Sharad Yadav, who had created flutters with his threat to consume poison and die if the women's reservation bill was passed, on Saturday sought to wriggle out of his statement but maintained his strong opposition to the measure in its present form.

Claiming that the present bill would only allow entry of  women of "elite class of society", he demanded at a press conference that the bill should be amended to provide for quota for women belonging to SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities.

"I had taken the name of Socrates. He (the Greek philosopher) was not not the one to consume poison himself. He was given poison for speaking the truth.  I am a fighter and I will not not give up," he told a press conference adding he had not not said he would take poison.

"What I said (in Lok Sabha on Friday) should have been understood in its spirit," Yadav, a long-time opponent of the bill, said adding one should not not go merely by words.

Participating in the discussion on the motion of thanks to the president's address in the Lok Sabha on Friday, he had said "We may not have the numbers. I will consume poison and die here but not allow the passage of the women's reservation bill."

He had referred to Greek philosopher Socrates who was forced to consume poison or compromise on his view. He preferred poison.

Yadav, who was among the bitter opponents to introduction of the women's reservation bill since it was first attempted in 1996 by the United Front government, said "We repeat our resolve to oppose the Bill in the present form".

He said those who are the most impoverished should be empowered first. "The Bill in its present form will empower only those women, who are already powerful.  Many women like Anu Tandon (newly-elected Congress MP from Unnao who is the wife of corporate honcho Sandeep Tandon) will come to Parliament," he said.

"We are for empowerment of the women. That's why we are not against the quota for women in Indian legislatures but we will never allow the government to overlook the interests of women belonging to SCs, STs and OBCs, Minorities and farming communities," he added.

Asked whether he sticks to his statement of consuming poison if the Bill was passed, Yadav said, "It is wrong. I did not say I will consume poison. I am a man who had been fighting all along and believe in dying fighting. I am against even hunger strikes. How can I talk of committing suicide."

Asserting that caste is a reality in India, he said that the Bill should not be passed overlooking the ground realities and demanded "quota within quota" for reservation to women in legislatures.