At a panel discussion on the Women’s Reservation Bill, east Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit had to brave a face-off with veterans like Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Brinda Karat and Congress leader from Jharkhand Mabel Rabello.
As the debate took a serious turn, women MPs were keen to know the obstacles posed by male MPs for the passage of the bill – that has been pending for years in parliament – and if it would be ever given a fair chance to become law. The two women Rajya Sabha MPs took friendly jibes at Dikshit.
“Smile Sandeep!” cried Karat with a laugh, while Demello took hold of his shoulders and shook him saying, “There, I am shaking him, may be he’ll smile.”
Dikshit finally broke his silence and said the bill would only work if another delimitation exercise was undertaken to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 725 from the current 545.
