NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 22: The Government will introduce the Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha on Thursday in its present form despite a lack of consensus in an hour-long meeting Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had with leaders of 25 political parties on Wednesday.Samajwadi Party and RJD leaders, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Raghivansh Prasad Singh respectively, said in the meeting that they were opposed to the introduction of the Bill in its present form and wanted inclusion of sub-quota for OBCs, SC and ST and minorities to be decided before the tabling of the Bill.Among the partners of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), JD (U), Shiv Sena, Akali Dal, DMK and National Conference also said that the views raised by parties like RJD and SP should be taken into consideration, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pramod Mahajan said after the meeting.He, however, asserted that no partner of the alliance had opposed the introduction of the Bill.BSP leader Mayawati also said that she told the Prime Minister that the sub-quota issue should be taken care of before the Bill was tabled.Mahajan, however, said that most of the parties favoured introduction of the Bill on Thursday itself and said differences could be sorted out during discussions on it or during inter-session.Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi told the meeting that their party was in favour of introducing the Bill and deciding the issue of sub-quota during debate on it.They said 17 of the 25 parties were in favour of introducing the Bill in its present form for a debate in Parliament. Left parties also favoured its introduction in the current session.Major NDA partners Telugu Desam Party and Trinamool Congress were also firm in demanding introduction of the Bill, their leaders said.Mulayam Singh Yadav claimed that besides National Conference, Shiv Sena, Akali Dal, DMK, other parties like Muslim League, Asom Gana Parishad and Lok Dal headed by Ajit Singh supported his party's views on the Bill.Meanwhile, SP's general secretary Amar Singh asserted that his party would oppose the introduction of Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha on Thursday "at any cost" and was even ready to turn "villain of the piece" on the issue."Hum is Bill ko kisi bhi halat mey ane nahi denge (We will not allow introduction of this Bill at any cost)," Singh said at a panel discussion on reservation, organised by the Press Club of India here.He said SP was in touch with a number of leaders from other parties, including Janata Dal (U) and "other constituents" of the ruling NDA.Declining to elaborate on `modus operandi' to be adopted in the House, Singh said, "It will only embarrass them as they are part of the ruling combination. But what I can tell you is that unlike many other parties my party does not indulge in any type of hypocrisy".To a question on whether Lok Sabha would witness "violence" on Thursday, he asked, "Do I look a violent person?" adding at the same breath, "We will not remain silent and do whatever is necessary to stall the tabling of the Bill."However, minutes later responding to Union Minister Uma Bharati's "appeal" to his party to maintain calm and resort to only democratic manners in opposing the Bill, Singh said, "Your suggestion is well taken. But in such a historic moment I am ready to turn `khalnayak' (villain) if need be and cannot remain silent".
