Political sparring over women's quota intensifies in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, April 26 The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of misleading the public by alleging that Opposition parties are anti-women for opposing aspects related to the Constitutional Amendment Bill linked to the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Act.

In a press conference held here, the regional party alleged that although the Women’s Reservation Bill, introduced as the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023, was passed by both Houses of Parliament and received the President’s assent in 2023, yet the ruling BJP did not implement it in the 2024 elections.

The party further alleged that the BJP is now organising women-led ‘Jan Aakrosh’ rallies and padyatras across the country, claiming that the Bill could not be implemented due to a lack of cooperation from Opposition parties.

Speaking at the press conference, BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo said that the Nari Shakti Vandan Act was passed in 2023 with the support of all political parties to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies.

She said there was an expectation that it would be implemented in the 2024 general elections.

Deo alleged that the BJP-led NDA government did not implement the provisions at that stage, citing that delimitation of parliamentary and Assembly constituencies would be carried out after the 2026 Census, and the reservation provisions would be enforced thereafter.

“However, in the midst of elections in five states, a special session of Parliament was convened to pass women’s reservation along with the delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Since the proposed delimitation would reduce representation of states like Odisha and several southern and eastern states, Opposition parties did not support it. After this, the BJP is now labelling Opposition parties as anti-women and creating a political narrative,” Deo claimed.

She added that people across the country have understood what she described as a contradiction in the BJP’s stand, alleging that the party was attempting to project itself as pro-women despite delays in implementation.

BJD senior General Secretary Dr Lekhashree Samantasinghar said that the party, which has been fielding women candidates in 33 per cent of parliamentary constituencies, has been at the forefront of promoting women’s reservation and empowerment.

She also highlighted the role of Biju Patnaik and Naveen Patnaik in advocating reservation for women in elections to the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, extending up to Parliament.

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