After much chaos and unprecedented situation, the Rajya Sabha is now discussing the Women Reservation bill with majority of political parties pledging their support to it.<br/><br/>Initiating the debate, the Leader of the opposition in the House Mr Arun Jaitley said that the reservation for women is an affirmative action and has to be translated into a vision of equality. Giving the argument for the reservation for women, he said time has come for it to provide them level playing field in decision making.<br/><br/>Mr Jaitley said rotation is the most suitable principle for sex based reservation which will ensures that each constituency of the country sends at least once in 15 years a female representative. He said that the Constitution provides only for caste based reservations and there is no reason for reservation for women belonging to these communities.<br/>Mrs Brinda Karat of the CPIM while welcoming the Bill said that its passage will lead to overall development of women.<br/><br/>The Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh said that the Women's Reservation Bill is a small token of tribute to the brave daughters of the country who fought for the country's freedom.<br/><br/>Participating in the debate on the bill in the Rajya Sabha, Dr.Manmohan Singh said that this bill is not anti-minorities or anti-scheduled castes and scheduled tribes but it is a milestone in the women's emancipation.<br/><br/>He expressed profound apology to Rajya Sabha Chairman Mohammad Hamid Ansari for disrespect shown to the Chair by members in the House over the past two days.<br/><br/>Mrs Jayanti Natrajan of the Congress said that the party is committed to the reservation of women to make them partners in the decision making process. She said it is in this regard that the party brought the constitutional amendment, first for 33 and later for 50 per cent seats for women in Panchayats and local urban bodies.<br/><br/>She described the present legislation as an important milestone towards the empowerment of women in the country.<br/><br/>All these leaders and members of other parties who spoke in favour the Bill strongly condemned the unprecedented scenes in the House describing it as a shame on Parliamentary Democracy. The BJP and Left leaders however charged the government of not resorting to proper floor strategy well in advance.<br/><br/>Satish Mishra of BSP struck the discordant note by opposing the Bill describing it as against minorities and backward classes. The division in the JDU came to the fore during the debate when its member Shivanad Tiwari supported the Bill and said it would have been better if there was reservation for minorities and other weaker sections.<br/><br/>AIR Parliamentary Correspondents report that seven members, who were suspended in the morning for their unruly behaviour yesterday, had to be physically lifted by the marshals after their stiff resistance to leave the House. These members belonging to SP, RJD and LJP continued to sit on dharana in the well of the House even after the House was adjourned. For the first time in the Rajya Sabha, marshals have been deployed to ensure smooth passage of the bill. <br/><br/> AIR correspondents Vijay Raina & Sarita Brara report from Parliament that till afternoon, it was uncertain whether the Rajya Sabha would be able to take up the historic bill for discussion and passage. All eyes were on the House when it met at 3 pm as the members from RJD, SP and LJP, suspended from the house for their unprecedented and unruly behavior, refused to leave the House. <br/><br/>The Chair finally decided to evict them, after its repeated pleas to leave the House fell on to their deaf ears. Marshals were called for the first time in the History of the Rajya Sabha to take the members out so as to start the debate. This was done after some resistance from agitating members.<br/><br/> The Women reservation issue has been rocking the two houses since yesterday leading to repeated adjournments. Parliamentarians, observers and political commentators while expressing regret on the shameful acts of some members in the House, opined that a minuscule minority can not hold the majority to ransom in Parliamentary democracy.<br/><br/> And finally, the history was created. In rare gesture two prominent opposition parties joined the government in the passage of this land mark legislation.