Mulayam to continue 'do-or-die' struggle against Women's Reservation Bill

Vowing to continue his party's "do-or-die struggle" against the Women's Reservation Bill, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today alleged that the measure was a "conspiracy" by Congress against Muslims which would be exposed.

"This bill is nothing more than a conspiracy against Muslims and to damage the democratic system of the country. The Samajwadi Party will continue to oppose this bill," Yadav told reporters here.
      
"For us it's a do or die struggle," he said, and claimed that even the Congress MPs were against the bill which has been passed in the Raya Sabha.

He said that the SP would expose Congress' conspiracy among people. "We will reach to the people, specially Muslims, and expose the conspiracy... we will struggle against this bill with all our might and at all levels," he said.

Yadav said that BJP members too had revolted against this bill. "We congratulate BJP members who expressed their feelings on this bill in the House," he said.

Asked whether the SP had sent a letter withdrawing support to the UPA government, he said, "now it is upto the UPA government to decide what it wants".

Attacking AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, the Samajwadi Party supremo said that he should stop the "drama" of visiting dalits and backwards.

"What had he given to Kalawati. Why is he indulging in these dramatics," he said, adding that some people considered Rahul as a "prince".

Yadav claimed that if the Women's Reservation Bill was passed by Parliament, the number of seats for male members would be reduced to minimal in the next three years.

"Even in case of rotation if a woman once contests from a seat, it would be difficult to replace her in the next election," the SP president said.
   
"It is Congress' conspiracy to defunct the exisiting leadership, specially among the Muslims, in the country," he alleged.

He said that there were a number of states from where not a single Muslim member was elected to the Lok Sabha. "In fact, the number of Muslim members has been  declining in Lok Sabha. Under such circumstances, how can a Muslim woman be elected," he asked.

He alleged that Congress was conspiring against Muslims as they played an important role in removal of its government from the Centre atleast thrice.

"Congress has always been indulging in such tactics," Yadav alleged.
   
He said that the Congress and BJP were having a strong alliance and it was evident from the way they came on one platform on Women's Bill issue.

He also claimed those who said that the party was against women were "mistaken" as it had always advocated women's rights.

"Its an international conspiracy in which the Centre is involved," he said.