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Mulayam warns of nationwide protests against women's quota bill

Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said his party would launch a country-wide agitation against the Women's Reservation Bill if it did not include sub-quotas for dalits, other backward classes and Muslims.

Talking to the media, he described the introduction of the bill in the Lok Sabha today as ''undemocratic'' as it had been introduced amid uproar and stiff opposition from a sizeable number of members.

He accused the Congress of colluding with the BJP, saying such steps would help the ''spread of fascism'' in the country.

The rotational clause in the bill would leave no elected representative accountable to his or her constituency, he said.

Describing the bill as being against the basic tenets of democracy, as it overlooks the interests of 85 per cent of the total electorate, he said it would dilute the benefiting accrue to the weaker sections by the Mandal Commission report.

UNI

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