SP ready to discuss dual membership proposal in women’s bill

Senior SP leader Mohan Singh claimed that the ruling Congress was giving indications that it was not averse to a dual membership provision to build consensus

on the Bill.

“Congress is giving indications on the provision of dual membership (for one-third of the seats) in the Bill. We are ready to have a discussion on this

suggestion,” Singh said in New Delhi.

Under the provision,a political party contesting from a constituency can field two candidates–one male and one female– on one-third of the seats.

“This would give a wider gender-based choice to people,” he said.

The former whip of SP in Lok Sabha said that it is a “practical” suggestion as this could give equal opportunity to both men as well as women candidates

at the hustings and a greater choice to the electorate.

Singh said that his party was “never opposed to women’s reservation,but we have only been saying that changes should be made in the Bill’s current format”.

“With the Congress itself making all the right noises about the Bill,there should be a consensual approach towards it. It has numbers on its side so it

may push the Bill in its present form. If Congress does this,we will oppose this move even though we don’t have the numbers,” Mohan Singh,whose party

has 23 seats in Lok Sabha,said.

He warned that the Bill in its present form had the potential of destroying the careers of many “established leaders” as their traditional seats would be

reserved for women. “When we say that we are opposed to the Bill we are saying this while keeping the interests of backward class leaders in mind. Anything

that harms their prospects and that of the backward class as a whole is against the participatory nature of our democracy,” Singh said.

He claimed that SP has been all for giving equal rights to women. “Way back in 1991 when Mulayam Singh ji was Chief Minister in Uttar Pradesh,he had given

representation to women in local bodies and panchayati raj institutions.”

SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had,while participating in the debate on Motion of Thanks on President’s Speech in Parliament last week,taken a tough line

on the issue.

He warned the government that if the bill was pushed,his party would take to the streets,holding rallies and demonstrations,for which he sought to rope

in RJD and JD(U).

Yadav had suggested that instead of reservation in Lok Sabha,women should be given quota in parties. He had even termed the Bill as a “conspiracy” against

the leaders who have reached the Lok Sabha through “hard struggle”.