By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: The Rajya Sabha MP of Janta Dal-United (JD-U) Dr M Ejaz Ali on Tuesday stated that the Women’s Reservation Bill in present format will turn the parliament into a ‘kitty club’ of high society ladies.
Ali was in the city to attend a workshop on the issue organised by All India Dalit Muslim Morcha (AIDMM) at UP Press Club in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Ali was in news after he was suspended from Rajya Sabha following his unruly behaviour during the presentation of the Bill.
“The present format of the Bill will facilitate the entry of high class women of industrialist and officer class. Seriuos debates will be overshadowed and parliament will be more like a ‘kitty club’ of ladies,” said Ali. He demanded a ‘quota within quota’ for women of muslim community and marginal sections as the present format is is against the essence of social justice.
Unapologetic for his behaviour in the parliament, he remarked: “I had no option left with me to oppose the Bill, the government was not hearing me and I had to stall it by reaching for the chair.” He claimed that the Bill when brought in parliament in 2008 also met the same fate and the then union law minister Hansraj Bhardwaj was manhandled. “The government knew its fate and it should be appologise to us and I am not going to tender appology,” he said without remorse.
When reminded that he has lost support within the party with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar openly supporting the Bill he said: ” Nitish has turned towards ‘kamandal’ from mandal. He is supporting it for the sake of sticking to power. He will be nowhere when reality dawns.”
When quizzed about the currency garland which he was offered by supporters followed by chaos with the loot of the notes on his return to Patna he stated: “Currency garland is a tradition of our country to show affection. I was honoured with the garland but the currency did not reach the poor people.”