Women’s Bill finds an opponent in V-P’s wife

NEW DELHI: As if it did not have enough opposition, the Women’s Reservation Bill found yet another opponent in Vice-President Hamid Ansari’s wife, Salma Ansari.

Responding to a free-wheeling query from the media, Salma Ansari on Tuesday said 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislature would hardly improve the lot of women in the Backward Classes.

Much to the Congress’ annoyance, the V-P’s wife virtually endorsed Mulayam-Laloo- Sharad Yadav’s view that the Bill would only benefit a small section of the women in the country.

Posing a strong critique of the Bill, Salma said she had a problem with the Bill as she felt that unless women themselves became aware of their rights through proper education, no legislation could help them.

It was not so long ago that her husband, the V-P, had to face unruly behaviour in the Rajya Sabha when the Bill was passed there. The incident led to marshalling and suspension of seven MPs.

However, Salma seemed to feel that it was not worth the cause.

The Congress, which is finding it rather difficult to manage the political contradictions within Parliament and the demands from Muslim groups from outside for scrapping of the Bill, could do without today’s input.

A miffed Congress leader said: “We’ve to go now and convince the women as well what is good for them in the Bill.

This is the height.’’