From the Regional Press

An editorial in Danik Jagran has raised questions over the sudden 8220;alertness and timing8221; of the UPA government in presenting the Women8217;s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha. 8220;Isn8217;t it strange that the Bill has been taken out of the cold storage at a time when its chances of being put up before the Lok Sabha are nil?8221; The Speaker had adjourned the House sine die on Monday, which means the Bill will not take the shape of a law in the near future. The editorial further infers that by bringing the Bill before the Rajya Sabha, the government is aiming to win laurels. Besides, putting the Reservation Bill before the Rajya Sabha without making any effort to get an all party consensus underlines that the UPA government is only trying to put up a facade that it is in favour of reservation for women.

A news item in Hindustan too is critical of the timing of the Bill, which is to be tabled at a juncture when the UPA government is entering the last year of its five-year term. The write-up also says the UPA government has been under tremendous pressure from Left parties to table the Bill. But in the current political circumstances, where all parties hold different views on the Bill, it seems set for a tough ride.

The Rashtriya Sahara has an interesting chronology on the Bill8217;s journey. It says the Bill was prepared during H.D. Devegowda8217;s government and was tabled for the first time in the Lok Sabha on September 12, 1996. Faced with protests, it was forwarded to a parliamentary panel. The same was repeated during I.K. Gujral8217;s term in 19978212;then too, MPs tore copies of the Bill. The worst, sexist comment came from Sharad Yadav who had then said, 8220;Hame parkati mahilaon ke liye arakshan nahi chahiye we don8217;t want reservation for short-haired women.8221; And from then on, it has been the same story.