New Delhi, May 5 :     The tough posturings by the government and the Church have put a question mark on the fate of the proposed Christian Marriage Bill. During their meeting with law minister Ram Jethmalani yesterday, the Church refused to give assent to the Bill unless the Centre amended a key clause in the legislation. Four representatives of the Church flatly told the minister they will oppose the Bill if it was introduced with the sticky clause. According to this clause, the new law will only govern marriages between two Christians. Marriages between a Christian and one who is not will be covered by the Special Marriage Act. The Christian representatives are also opposed to a provision in the legislation which places on a par a minister who solemnises weddings in Church and a civil registrar who conducts marriages, but does not have religious sanction. 'How can both a religious and a civil person share the same legal status?' the Church asked. Though the government is keen on introducing the Bill this session, the standoff may force Jethmalani to keep it on hold until the differences are thrashed out. During yesterday's three-hour meeting, Bishops Alan De Lastic and Oswald Gracias entered into a verbal duel with Jethmalani along with their lawyers, Francis Julian and Jos Chiramel. Jyotsna Chatterjee, director of the Joint Women's Programme who has been plugging for a change in the 1972 Christian Marriage Bill, has been caught in the crossfire between the Church and the government. Along with most Christian women, Chatterjee believes the Bill should be introduced at the earliest since many of its provisions would, for the first time, put a Christian man and a woman on the same legal footing. Jethmalani seemed nonplussed by the onslaught launched by the Church and refused to give an assurance. He turned to Chatterjee, the only woman representative at the meeting, for help. Chatterjee said she was all for passing the Bill but the objectionable clause should be amended. 'What is the need to change the provision which already sanctions religious marriage between a Christian and a non-Christian in the existing Bill?' she argued. The row has unwittingly pitted Christian women against Christian men. The Church appears to give religious sanctity topmost priority while pushing gender justice to the second place. Christian women, on the other hand, feel they have won a crucial battle and the opportunity to push through a fair legislation in their favour should not be squandered in the squabble over a couple of provisions. 'The Bill is essentially pro-women and will set right a historic wrong. I hope the debate will not push it off the agenda,' Chatterjee said. Once the legislation is introduced in Parliament, it is likely to have a hassle-free run since most MPs have petitioned the government to drop the 'anti-women' Christian Marriage Act.