NEW DELHI, INDIA: Debates and discussions on the historic women's reservation bill is buzzing the virtual world too.

Manisha Ahlawat, who created a group 'Reality Bites? Would the Women's Reservation Bill be implemented unbiased?' on popular social networking site Facebook, says: "Seeing more women in the position of power will definitely make more people respect women.

"In rural India where a politician is seen with much respect, imagine when they start seeing women in such powerful positions. It will change the whole outlook towards women. It is all a matter of getting used to women out of homes and kitchens and as decision makers, not mere followers," she opined.

The women's bill, which seeks to reserve 33 percent of all legislative seats for women, was passed in the Rajya Sabha Tuesday after two days of unruly scenes. It is expected to be introduced in the Lok Sabha soon.

On social networking platform Orkut, Srishant Sahu, an IT professional, asked: "Do we really need a women's reservation bill?"

To this Ashima Jain, a student, replied: "I think we are really done with what the political parties can do and should do. If they really had the intent, we should have been able to see the results. Let's face it, Indian political parties really need this whip (the bill)."

Some slammed the Yadav trio - Samajwadi Party's Mulayam Singh Yadav, Janata Dal-United's Sharad Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal's Lalu Prasad - for their opposition to the bill in its present form and their demand for a 'quota within quota' for Dalits, minorities and backward classes.

"Will it benefit the upper caste women and will it be against minorities? All castes have women, don't they? When these Yadav chiefs were shouting hoarse against the bill, nobody asked them where are their women? Why have you not fielded female candidates voluntarily and outside your families?" asked Shalu Dev on the discussion board of the group "I support the Women's Reservation Bill".

"Maybe we would not have needed this bill in the first place had all the opposing political parties been more sensitive towards the issue in the first place," added Rakhi.
©IANS