Pawar asks Women's Bill opponents to let it pass in current form

New Delhi, Mar 18 : Nationalist Congress Party chief and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Thursday asked the Women's Reservation Bill opponents to let the Bill pass in its present form.

He said the issue of providing reservation to minorities and other backward classed could be discussed later.

"There is no specific provision for minorities. Similarly, there is no specific provision for OBCs. So, let us pass the bill in the Lok Sabha now. Then we can sit and discuss all the issues," Pawar said.

On Friday, Pawar along with Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee likely to initiate discussions with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav, and leaders of parties like Shiv Sena, who are opposed to the Bill.