Sena opposes use of force to pass Women's bill

Shiv Sena, an ally of the National Democratic Alliance which voted for the Women's Reservation Bill in Rajya Sabha, said on Wednesday, that it will oppose it if marshals were called in and force was used to pass the measure in Lok Sabha.

"We will not allow the Bill to be passed in Lok Sabha with the use of marshals and force. We will strongly opposeit," Anant Geete, Leader of the Party in Lok Sabha told media-persons in New Delhi.

Opposing the Bill in its present form, Geete alleged the government was hardly interested in the welfare of women but only wanted to take credit for the legislation. Senior party leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi said the party is not opposed to 33 per cent reservation for women but constituencies should not be reserved and instead it should be made mandatory for the parties to give 33 per cent reservation to women.

"Our party has made it clear that it supports 33 per cent reservation. But parties should decide and reserve this and constituencies should not be reserved," Joshi said, seeking an amendment in the Bill.

Asked what would the party do if the government brought the Bill in the same form in the Lower House, he said, "We will decide the strategy when the Bill is brought in Lok Sabha". Asked about the divergent views of its ally BJP and the Sena on the Bill, Geete said they would talk to the BJP on this and expects the party to support its point of view.

To a query whether there could be problems within the NDA due to its stand on the Bill, Geete said, "It will have no impact. BJP has its views and we have our own views". Criticising the government for use of marshals in Rajya Sabha for removing seven members, Geete said the way it was done reminded him of the emergency imposed by Benito Mussolini in Italy.

Joshi said the government was not serious about the price rise issue even though it was discussed in the House.Referring to the Pune blast, he said that even after so many days, no progress has been made in the case and asked the government to apprehend the guilty.

Geete alleged the government brought the women's bill only to divert attention of the people from its failure on the price rise front and its inability to fight terror. To a question whether the party had a different stand in Rajya Sabha when it voted in favour of the Bill and in Lok Sabha where it wants amendments in the Bill, Joshi said that in the Lower House, the party will make efforts to see that constituencies are not reserved as it affects development and only parties reserve 33 per cent seats for women.