With Women's Reservation Bill on horizon, Akhilesh, Mayawati seek reservations for SC/ST, OBC categories

Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati on Tuesday lent their support to the Women's Reservation Bill but demanded 'adequate' reservation for the women belonging to the SC/ST and OBC categories.

Akhilesh Yadav also demanded reservations for the minorities within the women's quota.

''Women's reservation should have a balance between gender justice and social justice. It should have clear provisions for reservation for Dalits, backwards, minorities and tribals,'' he said.

Mayawati demanded 50 per cent reservation for the SC/ST and OBC categories. ''Our party is in support of the Bill but we want reservation for the SC/ST and OBC categories. It is better if these communities are given 50 per cent reservation in accordance with their population ratio,'' Mayawati told reporters here.

''It will be a great injustice against these communities if they are not given separate reservations in the women's quota,'' the BSP leader added.

Mayawati, however, clarified that the party would support the Women's Reservation Bill even if it did not contain separate reservations for the SC/ST and OBC communities.

Akhilesh appears to follow the footsteps of his father and SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, who had also sought reservations for women from the backward and Muslim communities.