New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat on March 12 became a hit with women members after he declared that no male members would be allowed to ask supplementaries on a question on atrocities on women.

"Male members please do not raise your hands. Only women members will be permitted to ask supplementaries," he said during Question Hour.

Women members hailed the Chairman's decision.

Cutting across party lines, the women members expressed concern over violence and atrocities on women and sought concrete measures in this regard.

As women members, including Mabel Rebello, Sarla Maheswari, Savita Sharda, Vanga Geetha and Ambika Soni, said not enough had been done for protection of women, Shekhawat in a lighter vein remarked that the original questioner Subirami Reddy, a male, had spread this virus.

This evoked laughter in the House.

The co-questioner Shabana Azmi was not present in the House.

Minister of State for Home I D Swami assured the agitated women members that steps like all women-courts and committees in various ministries and departments for addressing the problem of harassment of women were being taken.

He said the government was waiting for the report of Maliamath committee to take further steps towards preventing crime against women.

PTI