ID :
64536
Sat, 06/06/2009 - 22:17
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/64536
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JD-U prez Sharad Yadav seeks to wriggle out of poison statement
New Delhi, June 6 (PTI) Janata Dal-United (JD-U)
President Sharad Yadav, who had created flutters with his
threat to consume poison and die if the women's reservation
bill was passed in India's parliament, Saturday sought to
wriggle out of his statement but maintained his strong
opposition to the measure in its present form.
Claiming that the present bill would only allow entry
of women of "elite class of society", he demanded at a press
conference that the bill should be amended to provide for
quota for women belonging to SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities.
"I had taken the name of Socrates. He (the Greek
philosopher) was not not the one to consume poison himself.
He was given poison for speaking the truth. I am a fighter and
I will not not give up," he told a press conference adding he
had not said he would take poison.
"What I said (in Lok Sabha yesterday) should have been
understood in its spirit," Yadav, a long-time opponent of the
bill, said adding one should not not go merely by words.
Participating in the discussion on the motion of
thanks to the President's address in the Lok Sabha (Lower
House of Indian Parliament) Friday, he had said "We may not
have the numbers. I will consume poison and die here but not
allow the passage of the women's reservation bill."
He had referred to Greek philosopher Socrates who was
forced to consume poison or compromise on his view. He
preferred poison.
Yadav, who was among the bitter opponents to the
introduction of the women's reservation bill since it was
first attempted in 1996 by the United Front government, said
"We repeat our resolve to oppose the Bill in the present
form".
He said those who are the most impoverished should be
empowered first. "The Bill in its present form will empower
only those women, who are already powerful. Many women like
Anu Tandon (newly-elected Congress MP from Unnao, in northern
state of Uttar Pradesh, who is the wife of corporate honcho
Sandeep Tandon) will come to Parliament," he said.
"We are for empowerment of the women. That's why we
are not against the quota for women in Indian legislatures
but we will never allow the government to overlook the
interests of women belonging to SCs, STs and OBCs, Minorities
and farming communities," he added.
Asked whether he sticks to his statement of consuming
poison if the Bill was passed, Yadav said, "It is wrong. I did
not say I will consume poison. I am a man who had been
fighting all along and believe in dying fighting. I am against
even hunger strikes. How can I talk of committing suicide."
Asserting that caste is a reality in India, he said
that the Bill should not be passed overlooking the
ground realities and demanded "quota within quota" for
reservation to women in legislatures.
Yadav said "In India and the sub-continent, caste is a
reality. All parties distributed tickets on the basis of caste
in this election but when they come to the Lok Sabha, they
indulge in sweet talk."
He said that women's reservation should be the "mirror
of Indian society".
Referring to the 50 percent reservation in local
bodies given in eastern state of Bihar, Yadav demanded this
formula should be adopted at the Centre to ensure
representation to SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities and Farming
Communties. He suggested that the quota could be raised to 50
percent.
Yadav criticised the attempts to push in with the
reservation bill through Constitutional amendment without
building any consensus over it.
"So far 90 constitutional amendments have taken place
but none was done without evolving a consensus. This is the
first bill on which no attempt has been made by the
government to reach a consensus," he said.
To a query as to how does he would proceed with the
opposition of the bill when BJP, the biggest party in the NDA
is inclined to support it, Yadav said, " we are together
but we have differences on this issue for the last 13 years.
Asked whether JD-U's opposition to the Bill would have
no no meaning when the government already has the majority to
push through it, Yadav shot back, "if we do not have majority,
should we leave the parliament. Our number is not so less
either." PTI
President Sharad Yadav, who had created flutters with his
threat to consume poison and die if the women's reservation
bill was passed in India's parliament, Saturday sought to
wriggle out of his statement but maintained his strong
opposition to the measure in its present form.
Claiming that the present bill would only allow entry
of women of "elite class of society", he demanded at a press
conference that the bill should be amended to provide for
quota for women belonging to SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities.
"I had taken the name of Socrates. He (the Greek
philosopher) was not not the one to consume poison himself.
He was given poison for speaking the truth. I am a fighter and
I will not not give up," he told a press conference adding he
had not said he would take poison.
"What I said (in Lok Sabha yesterday) should have been
understood in its spirit," Yadav, a long-time opponent of the
bill, said adding one should not not go merely by words.
Participating in the discussion on the motion of
thanks to the President's address in the Lok Sabha (Lower
House of Indian Parliament) Friday, he had said "We may not
have the numbers. I will consume poison and die here but not
allow the passage of the women's reservation bill."
He had referred to Greek philosopher Socrates who was
forced to consume poison or compromise on his view. He
preferred poison.
Yadav, who was among the bitter opponents to the
introduction of the women's reservation bill since it was
first attempted in 1996 by the United Front government, said
"We repeat our resolve to oppose the Bill in the present
form".
He said those who are the most impoverished should be
empowered first. "The Bill in its present form will empower
only those women, who are already powerful. Many women like
Anu Tandon (newly-elected Congress MP from Unnao, in northern
state of Uttar Pradesh, who is the wife of corporate honcho
Sandeep Tandon) will come to Parliament," he said.
"We are for empowerment of the women. That's why we
are not against the quota for women in Indian legislatures
but we will never allow the government to overlook the
interests of women belonging to SCs, STs and OBCs, Minorities
and farming communities," he added.
Asked whether he sticks to his statement of consuming
poison if the Bill was passed, Yadav said, "It is wrong. I did
not say I will consume poison. I am a man who had been
fighting all along and believe in dying fighting. I am against
even hunger strikes. How can I talk of committing suicide."
Asserting that caste is a reality in India, he said
that the Bill should not be passed overlooking the
ground realities and demanded "quota within quota" for
reservation to women in legislatures.
Yadav said "In India and the sub-continent, caste is a
reality. All parties distributed tickets on the basis of caste
in this election but when they come to the Lok Sabha, they
indulge in sweet talk."
He said that women's reservation should be the "mirror
of Indian society".
Referring to the 50 percent reservation in local
bodies given in eastern state of Bihar, Yadav demanded this
formula should be adopted at the Centre to ensure
representation to SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities and Farming
Communties. He suggested that the quota could be raised to 50
percent.
Yadav criticised the attempts to push in with the
reservation bill through Constitutional amendment without
building any consensus over it.
"So far 90 constitutional amendments have taken place
but none was done without evolving a consensus. This is the
first bill on which no attempt has been made by the
government to reach a consensus," he said.
To a query as to how does he would proceed with the
opposition of the bill when BJP, the biggest party in the NDA
is inclined to support it, Yadav said, " we are together
but we have differences on this issue for the last 13 years.
Asked whether JD-U's opposition to the Bill would have
no no meaning when the government already has the majority to
push through it, Yadav shot back, "if we do not have majority,
should we leave the parliament. Our number is not so less
either." PTI
