International Women’s Day, Indian Parliament style!

Alongside the welcome column inches (and LabourList guest editors) which have accompanied this 102nd International Women’s Day, it’s great to see some real, tangible strides forward in the cause of gender equality:

A third of seats in India’s Parliament are to be reserved for women under a law to be put before the legislature today — International Women’s Day — in one of the country’s boldest steps towards gender equality since independence in 1947.

Unfortunately, someone forgot to circulate the script amongst India’s parliamentarians. India’s IBN reports:

Voting on a historic bill that reserves 33 percent of legislative seats for women was deferred till Tuesday after a dozen members opposing it tore up the document and hurled pieces at Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari.

Astonishingly, it could have been worse. In scenes redolent of brawling football hooligans, a previous debate on sensitive civil rights issue descended into an all-out ruck. The honourable members tore (metal) microphone stands from desks and hurled them across the chamber:

Bercow wouldn’t stand for this nonsense!

Hat-tip: Nex Left