RJD gives ultimatum to Cong on Women’s Bill

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Thursday , May 08, 2008 at 2213 hrs In an effort to send signal to its OBC vote-base that the party continues with its ‘‘social justice’’ plank, the RJD, a key UPA partner, on Wednesday claimed that it was strongly opposed to Women’s Reservation Bill, which was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Refusing to rule out the possibility of coming out from the Congress-led UPA coalition, the party said the Bill would be acceptable only in case quota for dalit and minorities in the legislation was incorporated.

‘‘Our strategy includes everything,’’ senior party leader Devendra Prasad Yadav said at a press conference when asked whether the RJD would go to the extent of withdrawing support to the UPA on the issue.

‘‘If the government ignores our demand, a political crisis bigger than Indo-US Nuclear deal may arise,’’ Yadav, who is the deputy leader of the party in the Lok Sabha, said in threatening mood.

Outlining the party strategy on the issue, Yadav said, ‘‘We are the second largest bloc in the UPA. We will move amendments in the Bill and even press for division if the party’s demand for quota within quota for Dalit, minorities and SC/ST women, was not incorporated in the measure.’’

The belated stand of RJD, as its chief and railway minister Lalu Prasad is part of the Cabinet, which cleared the Bill, might throw a spanner in the efforts of the Congress to ensure its passage in the monsoon session of Parliament.

He accused the Congress of going against the ‘‘coalition dharma’’ by ‘‘overlooking’’ the RJD’s advice.

On Law Minister H R Bhardwaj’s claim that there was unanimity over the measure in the Union Cabinet, Yadav said it was not so as RJD supremo and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad had strongly opposed the bill in its present form at the meeting.

Yadav strongly objected to the manner in which the established practice of providing a copy of the bill to each member 48 hours before introduction was not followed.

‘‘This is unexpected and against the established parliamentary procedure. This is unprecedented in parliamentary democracy,’’ he said adding a ‘‘wrong tradition’’ has been set. Yadav warned the government that it should not take RJD for granted. ‘‘We will not sit quiet. We will definitely raise our voice and we are ready to go to any extent,’’ he said.