I congratulate the lawmakers of the Upper House who have wholeheartedly supported the women’s reservation bill despite of stiff opposition from SP, BSP and RJD. The efforts of 181 lawmakers of Upper House have earnestly earned the privilege of being a part of this historic moment. In this regard their stand for democratic socialism and gender equality is quite laudable.

In Indian parliamentary democracy most of the political parties have vivid public images based on caste, region, linguistic, ethnic or ideology. Often public and media criticize these parties for their decisive thoughts, but these political parties do perform vital functions in Indian political system. All political parties have the rights and interests to promote or defend their ideas through appropriate means, but what happened day before yesterday in the Rajya Sabha is condemnable. In the name of protest one just can’t demean the chair and bring disgrace to the nation. If these parties have any specific interest or grievance that can be aggregated and articulated in a better way rather exhibiting callousness on the floor of the house.

In yesterday’s context, what more saddening was that the politics of the Samajwadi Party that displayed a myopic view by opposing the women reservation bill in the name of marginalized sections of the society. When the entire nation is going gaga over the bill, some minuscule politicos tried their best to sabotage the bill. This is absolutely nothing but unjust and atrocious. I feel, when SP talked of quota with within quota for minorities and backwards, it did nothing more than just politics. Mrs. Sarojini Agarwal, a leading doctor from Meerut was recently made MLA and Mrs. Ranjana Vajpayee was made chairperson of State Women Commission during SP regime. These both ladies belong to affluent and elite section of society. If SP was so concerned about Muslims and OBCs women, Ranjana could have been replaced by some Rehana and Sarojini by some Ramwati Bind.

The party, which has been more associated with 3Cs- Caste, Cash and Criminal, is now propagating 3No’s- No Women, No Computer and No English. Its medieval machinery is more concern in kinship and less in plights of women. By virtue of this, its politics of development is slowly loosing its ground and efficacy. It seems that the SP is making a coffin so that in the next state Assembly and Lok Sabha elections its soul will rest in peace. Despite of political and ideological differences we should appreciate the efforts of the BJP, Left Parties and Congress for their genuine concern about women development, but it is ridiculous to come across the dual policies of the SP and BSP that selectively targeted irrelevant issues on whimsical grounds.

A country can be termed as developed if we find an equitable and holistic development of women at all fronts from agriculture to defense and from panchayat to parliament. The role of the lawmakers of both houses is to provide a proper platform for the country’s women to participate in the democratic set up for the betterment of social structure.

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