New Delhi:
Will the Women's reservation Bill be put to a vote in the Rajya Sabha today? Not if the three Yadavs have anything to do with it.
After their meeting with the Prime Minister, Sharad, Mulayam and Lalu Yadav have said that the Women's Bill in its current form cannot be pushed through Parliament. They also said that if the government tries to put the bill to vote in the Rajya Sabha today, their MPs will force adjournments. (
See Pics: Monday shame)
Instead, Lalu said, they want the vote to be deferred till after an all-party meeting on the bill. The three Yadavs claim the bill does not protect the interests of Dalits and Muslims.
Sonia Gandhi is reportedly keen for the bill to be voted on today after Monday's political disaster when the Congress decided to defer the vote after both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were adjourned repeatedly over the issue by unruly MPs from Lalu and Mulayam's parties, among others. (
Read: Sonia wants vote on Bill, Congress worried)
The BJP and the Left were furious about the deferred vote, accusing the government of developing cold feet. (
Women's Reservation Bill: Who stands where)
Lalu and Mulayam Yadav, who have 26 MPs between them, have threatened to withdraw support to Manmohan Singh's government over the Women's Bill. (
Read & Watch: Mulayam, Lalu withdraw support to govt)
Lalu Yadav has reportedly said that he wants Muslim, Dalit and OBC women included in the bill.
The government, the Left and the BJP are all in favour of the 33 per cent reservation, so they have the numbers to push through this bill. The problem for the government is with the Finance Bill or the vote on the Budget - without the Yadavs, their majority is reduced to a single-digit lead, which, according to sources, has left them jittery. If a government loses the Budget vote, it falls. (
Read: Why Lalu-Mulayam exit worries govt)
Lalu clarified on Monday that he has apologised to Vice President Hamid Ansari who, as Chairman of the Rajya SAbha, was subjected to a near-assault by MPs opposed to the Women's Bill. They tore up copies of the bill and threw them at Ansari; some also grabbed mics. The scenes were among the worst in Parliament's history. (
Watch: Unruly MPs hold up Women's Bill)