Janata Dal working president Sharad Yadav yesterday favoured a conscience vote in the Lok Sabha on the controversial constitution amendment bill on the 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures and said if the bill was still passed in its present form he would resign his membership of the House.
In an interview, Yadav, who is the leader of the Janata Dal in the Lok Sabha, suggested that members in the Lok Sabha should be left free to vote according to their conscience on the controversial bill on the reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies and let there be no whips issued by the political parties to force the members to vote in its favour. I am sure the bill in its present form will not not be passed if there are no whips, Yadav remarked. If the majority favours the bill in this situation, I will resign my seat, the Janata Dal working president remarked in reply to a question.
Making it clear that he was not opposed to the reservation for seats for women in Parliament, Yadav suggested that seats be reserved for women of all sections including minorities, dalits and backward classes in proportion to their population.
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This alone would send out right signal across the nation, Yadav said, adding that this would be welcomed by all.
Stating that he had no intention to weaken the hands of Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral, the Janata Dal leader said that he welcomed Gujrals statement that a natioal debate be initiated to arrive at a consensus on the issue.
Let the matter be debated in colleges and universities and in other social and political fora, Yadav said that this could also be discussed in the meetings of the national integration council and the chief ministers.
He recalled that a national debate had taken place in the country on the constitution amendment bill providing for setting up of panchayati raj.
There must be unanimity on the issue, Yadav asserted.
What was more important before such a bill was taken up was that serious attempts be made to demolish the caste system, the JD leader said, adding if this is accomplished, the dispute will automatically be resolved. Yadav vehemently denied the charge that he had raised the issue for political gains and said that he was merely trying to get justice for minorities, dalits and backward classes and other weaker sections.