The Yadavs--Lalu Prasad, Mulayam Singh and Sharad Yadav--definitely want it. Their supporters continue to paralyse parliament to have it their way. Now even Trinamool Congress' Mamatadi wants a sub-quota for Muslim women. They say the quota would be cornered by the 'par kati' bahus and betis of the upper caste leaders.

But the main political players--the Left, the Right and the Centre--have ignored their pleas. They want to go ahead with the first big step of ensuring a legislative quota for women and think about the women from the OBCs and the minorites later.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is the only one who has come forward to counter the Yadavs and Mamatadi. She says let those leaders field women from the OBCs and the minorities from the seats reserved for women. The fear, however, remains. The Yadavs and the Didi think such women would be no match to the bahu-beti brigade from the upposer castes.

That leads us to today's question.