New Delhi: Various women's organisations on May 6 strongly protested against deferring of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha and held the government "squarely responsible" for this "betrayal".

"The utter failure of the government to take advantage of the unstinting support offered by the main Opposition shows that it is either not committed to the Bill, in which case its hypocrisy is thoroughly exposed or that it is so impotent that it is unable to push for a legislation to which it is publicly committed," several women activists said in a statement.

Never before has any government had the assured support of the two main Opposition parties, Congress and the Left parties, they said.

"That the Prime Minister left the decision to the Speaker knowing that he had publicly opposed the Bill makes it clear that Vajpayee does not have the courage of his own convictions and is too weak to take a stand," they said, adding that women all over the country say, "Shame on this government for its utter betrayal."

"The message is grave for Indian Democracy and Democratic processes because it means that a handful of MPs can hold the House to ransom," they said urging the women to intensify the struggle for the Bill and any alternative proposals were nothing but a dilution and a diversion.

The signatories to the statement include Brinda Karat, Bina Majumdar, Ranjana Kumari, Mohini Giri, Sayeda Hameed and Suma Krishna Kant.

PTI