New Delhi, April 07: The Congress had the last laugh when it managed to get the women’s reservation Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha on March 9. In the Lok Sabha, it’s the Yadav troika that is laughing the longest.
The Yadavs, who raised a hue and cry during the Bill’s passage in the Upper House, is likely to strike back with renewed vigour when the second phase of the budget session convenes from April 15.
It was evident on Monday at the all- party meeting convened by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee to evolve a consensus on the Bill.
Buoyed by the support of Trinamool Congress chief and railway minister Mamata Banerjee, and with the BJP and the CPM showing signs of having diluted their stand over the Bill, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Janata Dal ( United) president Sharad Yadav and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad not only threw down the gauntlet at the Congress but also lashed out at home minister P. Chidambaram and law minister Veerappa Moily over certain comments.
Sources said Chidambaram wanted a resolution to be passed at the all- party meeting for talks to be held in a cordial manner, to maintain decorum while discussing the Bill in Parliament and make an effort to find an amicable solution.
A furious Lalu Prasad objected to the draft saying the question of the Bill being taken up for discussion did not arise without consensus.
“ Don’t act smart, who authorised you to draft such a resolution… throw it into the dustbin,” a source close to Lalu quoted him as having told the home minister.
Stung by Lalu’s words, the draft, which finally came out, merely gave the date and time of the meeting and said “ further discussions will continue”. Before Chidambaram, it was Moily’s turn to get a taste of Yadav fury.
Taking strong objection to comments made by Moily last week that the Bill will be passed by the Lok Sabha in its original form preferably during the budget session, Sharad is learnt to have told the law minister, “ Why did you tell the media that the Bill will be passed in the present form? What is the purpose of this meeting then?” Sources said Moily kept quiet and did not utter a word.
At the meeting, Mamata backed the Yadavs’ demand for a sub- quota for the Muslims within the 33 per cent reservation for women.
Mamata said the Bill should be in tune with the Ranganath Misra commission’s recommendations which calls for 10 per cent reservation in government jobs for backward Muslims.
The Yadav leaders and Mamata had separate discussions before and after the meeting to chalk out a joint strategy.
Later, the Trinamool Congress leader also had a word with Mukherjee at his chamber.
The opposition unity over the women’s reservation Bill has pushed the Congress on the backfoot. It has a number of other issues lined up at the Parliament which needs cooperation from the opposition for a smooth passage.
There’s the nuclear liability Bill, a priority for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Besides, Mukherjee wants his finance bills cleared without hassles in the wake of the threat issued by the SP and the Left parties to move cut motions.
—Agencies