Odisha's Battle for Women's Political Empowerment: BJD Challenges BJP's Delays

As the Odisha Assembly's special session looms, the BJD has mounted a vocal campaign against the BJP, demanding the immediate implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adiniyam Bill. The bill, which was passed in 2023, promises 33 per cent reservation for women in legislative bodies but wasn't enacted for the 2024 elections. The BJD claims the BJP manipulated the situation, blaming opposition parties for this oversight.

BJD leaders, including MP Sulata Deo, criticized the BJP for using the bill's delay as a political tool, further alleging that the delimitation based on the outdated 2011 Census unfairly targets states like Odisha. Despite the BJP's attempts to position itself as pro-women, the BJD accuses it of failing women by neglecting to nominate women equally in the 2024 elections.

BJD focuses on promoting women's reservation since the iconic leadership of Biju Patnaik, who initiated significant strides in women's representation in government. Under Naveen Patnaik, the BJD has consistently backed women candidates, proving its commitment to women's empowerment. The party calls for national support to uphold this cause and resist BJP's purportedly misleading narratives.

(With inputs from agencies.)