HOLD ON FOR THE REAL CELEBRATIONS FOR WOMEN RESERVATION.

Women Reservation bill was approved by Rajya Sabha on 9th March 2010. It was a historic moment. This bill is for 15 years. Who knows it can be forever as it is being existing for SC/STs, being added for new sections such as Minorities, OBCs, etc …
Like few under-privileged sections such as Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/Backward Class/Minorities – the women are also not at par with Men in many areas.
There is little progress since Independence except for the last 2 decades. Few Urban areas have shown progress. WE see working women, having equal rights along with men. But otherwise the rural areas are still like in the age-old system only.
What is this reservation all about?
It reserves 33 and 1/3% of Parliament and State Assmebly seats for women.
AS per the new act – out of every 3 seats 1 seat will be reserved for women – thus out of 542 seats of Lok Sabha – 180 seats will be reserved for Women.
Out of 250 seats of Rajya Sabha – 83 seats will be reserved for women.
The 180 seats of Women will be equally distributed among the existing 3 categories like SC/ST/General seats.
That means one third of ST seats will be reserved for Women and rest (i.e. two – third) will be for men. So there will not be any impact for SC/ST categories.
But then why Yadav-Trio (Mulayam, Lalu and Sharad) is against these
1. Genuinely speaking it is difficult to get women within general category leave alone from SC/ST community to contest the elections – from these 3 parties. These parties base is OM (OBCs and Muslims) and always difficult to get women candidates.
2. Quota within Quota: In addition to the demand of asking the reservation for OMs in General category – the Trio wants to Quota within Women Quota as well – so as to consolidate their vote base.
3. The proposed rotation of seats reservation – also is a difficult one for them. With great difficulty if they find a woman candidate– in next general election – the seat will be no more reserved and they have to identify a new woman candidate at new constituency.
4. That’s why these parties are arguing that – let each party take its own decision to nominate one third women of their choice of seats rather being enforced by constitution.
But then Why Congress, BJP and Communists want the Reservations?
1. They sense that they can get more mileage by winning the hearts of 50% of the Voters.
2. They can get Woman candidate relatively easier than the above Trio.
3. The Quota within Quota will be a major disadvantage for them and hence are against tooth and nail. Because they do not have OM basis. This will be a major disadvantage to BJP, may be a neutral one for Communists and a bit advantage to Congress among these 3.
4. Infact the rotation is also a worrying factor for BJP and Communists as they are in opposition and do not have stability like Congress at present.
a. This rotation concept may be extended to the existing SC/ST seats also – as the same SC/ST families are ruling the constituencies for decades.
b. The rotation of constituencies can be applied to SC/ST Category. New Candidates can contest from new reserved seats. Already existing SC/ST MPs can contest from the same seat – even if it is converted to general – as they have the advantage of being the current MP. If they have done really good for the constituency – they can win again. Thus more number of SC/STs can be representing the Parliament and Assemblies.
General Public Questions For:
1. In some of the states women have reservations in Educational institutions
2. Women have reservations in Local Bodies already
3. Even Muslim countries (Pak, Bangladesh, Afghanistan) and in total 40 nations have reservations for women
4. If SC/ST reservations are Parliament has helped them to uplift – then why cannot these new reservations for women will uplift them?
General Public Questions Against :
1. Women do not have any reservations in Jobs till now - then what is the advantage of having in Parliament and Assemblies?
2. These women reservations will help only those families who are already ruling the nation as MPs - their wives, daughters , daughters-in-law and sisters will be substituted for these constituencies.
3. Let the Government first ensure that – women need not
a. Walk for miles for a pot of water
b. Suffer dowry deaths
c. Depend financially on men
d. fear to walk in mid-night in Indian streets.
e. run for medical assistance
Future Questions:
1. Will the Bill be passed by Loksabha? Or UPA wants to save the Government?
2. Congress has got great mileage now – will BJP can keep quite or want to spoil the whole movement in some form or the other?
3. Will the MUSCLE power of Yadav Trio with OM Vote bank idea – disrupt the proceedings?
4. There are two arguments that – no need of Assemblies approval or 50% of States approval is needed. Will this happen?
5. Identification of seats again an issue :
• Population –wise?
• Alphabet-wise?
• Lottery-wise?
6. What about Maternity Leave cases of women MPs? This also should be taken care like that in Government and private companies.
Political pundits, sociologists, political scientists, feminists and historians and almost everybody has said that if the bill becomes an act then it will be the biggest socio-political news since independence.