Bhubaneswar, Dec 26 Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday said his party will fight in every platform for 33 per cent reservation of women in Lok Sabha and legislative Assembly.
"National parties remember women's empowerment during elections and commit in their manifesto only to conveniently forget after winning the elections. BJD will keep reminding the national parties about this forgotten promise," said the Chief Minister.
Patnaik was addressing the 24th foundation day celebrations of the regional party.
"From now on in every session of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and the legislative assembly, BJD will raise the women's reservation issue and remind national parties," said the BJD president.
He said the BJD has become a social movement and women are the soul of this social movement.
"We cannot deprive half of our population of their rights. They must have their rightful place in the political space of our country," he added.
The chief minister said the BJD has been giving importance to women and has reserved 50 per cent seats for women in Panchayats and urban local bodies.
"Empowerment of women is the empowerment of the nation. No household, no society, no state, no country has ever moved forward without empowerment its women," he said.
Notably, women have generously voted for the regional party in every election and the party is trying to consolidate its vote bank further.
BJD under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik has been in power in Odisha since 2000.
( With inputs from IANS )
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