Yesterday was the centennial of international women's day. Under Sonia Gandhi's leadership, the Congress party wanted to pass the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha yesterday in a symbolic act of chivalry.
The bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha amidst noisy protests from the known denigrators of the bill, namely the Yadavs. The protest in all its unseemliness was expected. The Upper House was adjourned five times since the proceedings were not possible in the absence of firm resolve on the part of the ruling party. BJP and the Left were enjoying the discomfiture of the Congress in an attitude of "I told you so". It is a mystery as to why Hamid Ansari, the no-nonsense Chairman of the Upper House did not find it necessary to enforce orderly conduct of business. Apparently, he took counsel from the Congress.
It is possible that all political parties contain MCPs who are against the bill but are unable to speak out lest their selfish interests become public. Reservation is only a lollipop to women. Only relatives of powerful male politicians will benefit atleast in the beginning. It is a pity that even this lollipop is denied to them for a long time. Meanwhile, parliamentary proceedings are getting more trivialised.
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