BJP puts onus on women's bill on government

The BJP today threw the ball in the government's court on the long-pending women's reservation bill, saying it was willing to support the measure but the government will have to bring it before Parliament.

The BJP today threw the ball in the government's court on the long-pending women's reservation bill, saying it was willing to support the measure but the government will have to bring it before Parliament.

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"If the government has the political will, it will bring the bill (before Parliament for passage)," BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu told reporters.

"The BJP is ready to support the Bill in its present form. It is for the government to bring about a consensus
among political parties. If not, they should bring the bill in its present form," he said.

The bill providing for 33 per cent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies has been hanging fire for
over a decade now, primarily due to lack of consensus among political parties, some of which have been demanding a quota
within quota for backward classes.

"We have seen in last six years that nothing has happened on the bill and the government has not made any effort. The
BJP, as a party, has already implemented it (quota) within its organisation. We are ready to support the bill," Naidu added.