The Hindu : National : Congress welcomes move on Women's Bill

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Friday, Nov 24, 2006
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Congress welcomes move on Women's Bill

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday welcomed the United Progressive Alliance Government's decision to introduce the Women's Reservation Bill, providing for one-third reservation of seats in Parliament and State Legislatures, during the current session.

Earlier, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad told Union Minister Pranab Mukherjee that the Government should call a meeting of political parties before going ahead with the introduction.

At a dinner meeting on Wednesday, Mr. Prasad proposed that the Bill could be introduced in the current session leading to an announcement that the Government would move ahead on the Bill.

The Congress sought to underline the difference in approach of the UPA Government and the previous National Democratic Alliance. "Despite protestations and slew of support, the Bill was not introduce by the NDA," Abhishek Singhvi said.

The party criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party's move to stall parliamentary proceedings on the issue of clemency to Mohammed Afzal. Terming the BJP move as "hypocrisy on stilts, case of double-speak," Mr. Singhvi said the NDA Government had released Briton Peter Bleach, an accused in the Purulia arms drop case. "Till this date not a single reason has been given on why he was released."

The BJP was now lecturing the Government about a constitution provision, which gave a death convict the right to appeal for mercy. On the other hand, some 20-odd cases of mercy petitions, including from the killers of Rajiv Gandhi, were received during the BJP regime.

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