Was it Rajya Sabha or Kaurav Sabha?

New Delhi: Laughter-scenes by male Parliamentarians cutting across party-lines including disgraceful sharing of comments by a senior Union Minister on sexiest comments by Janta Dal (United) President in Rajya Sabha on 13.03.2015 reminded of Kauravs enjoying stripping of Draupdi in King Dhritrasthra’s Sabha.

It is not for the first time that ‘Best Parliamentarian’ Sharad Yadav has made worst comments against women. He is amongst those who are opposing Women-Reservation-in legislature. Even though his party felt regret on such comments, Sharad Yadav himself was unapologetic.

Ruling BJP having expressed its displeasure on the incident through its spokesperson should ask its Union Minister and other Parliamentarians having joined laughter-group in Rajya Sabha to make a public-apology on such behaviour.

Sharad Yadav should be stripped off from the ‘Best Parliamentarian’ award which is a mere formality of adding a feather in cap to three senior Parliamentarians one each from ruling, main opposition and the third-front by clubbing these for three years to avoid controversies.

Only way out to abolish male-domination in legislature is to introduce women-reservation by adopting Election Commission’s formula to make it compulsory for every political party to give at least 33-percent party-tickets to women because our male-dominated Parliament cannot be expected to pass Women-Reservation-Bill with chairperson of Rajya Sabha once being mute spectator to tearing of the Bill.

However it should be ensured that such distribution may be state-wise rather than on country-basis. Otherwise parties will fulfil formality of women-quota by giving all tickets from reserved quota to women in states with no base of the concerned party.

To prevent wives or other relations/associates being misused as ‘proxy’ of male politicians, there should be a system whereby name or photo of husband or any other relation may not be permitted in election-campaigns of women candidates. Even Islamic world including Pakistan and many other democratic countries including fresh democracy in Nepal have adopted Women-Reservation in legislature.