Sonia makes light of TMC's concern over Bill

New Delhi, 10 Mar:  "Then we will have reservation for men," Congress President Sonia Gandhi said in a lighter vein today when a Trinamool Congress leader contended that men would be a marginalised lot if the Women's Reservation Bill was enacted and implemented.

The 20-minute interaction happened inside the Lok Sabha after the proceedings had been adjourned following uproar over the Bill.

The contention of Kalyan Banerjee, a close associate of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, was that women could spread their wings to general seats besides having their hold on the 33 per cent seats reserved for them in Lok Sabha and State assemblies.

Coupled with this, it was a possibility that the constituencies which get rotated for women's reservation could see the fairer sex continue to occupy the seats which were no longer reserved.

In such a scenario, women could dominate and their share in the Lok Sabha and State assemblies could be more than 33 per cent much to consternation of men, he contended.

By this time, over 30 members, including some from Congress, had gathered around Gandhi.

"Men will still be winners," Gandhi remarked, making light of the argument made by Kalyan Banerjee.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also present during the interaction.


(PTI)