Bhubaneswar, Apr 12 (PTI) Ahead of a special three-day sitting of Parliament during which proposed amendments to the Women’s Reservation Act are likely to be brought for consideration and passage, the BJP and the BJD in Odisha engaged in a war of words on Sunday, each claiming to be the true champion of women’s empowerment.
The ruling BJP gave all credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the women’s quota in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, while the BJD claimed that ex-chief minister Biju Patnaik and Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, Naveen Patnaik, had fought for such a reservation.
The Women’s Reservation Act will ensure an increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816, of which 273 will be reserved for women. The provision to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies was brought by amending the Constitution in 2023.
However, the women’s quota would have come into effect only after the completion of the delimitation exercise on the basis of the 2027 Census. This meant the reservation would not have become enforceable before 2034 if the present law remains as it is. To implement it from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, changes were needed in the Act, officially known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam; and hence, the government is holding a special session to pass the amendments to the law.
While addressing a press conference here, Odisha’s Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said, “For decades, women of the country were deprived of their rights, even though they constitute nearly 48.5 per cent of the total population. Despite this, their political participation has remained limited. The times are changing.” “The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is a powerful step to bring women into the mainstream of the decision-making process by providing 33 per cent reservation to them in Parliament and state assemblies,” said Parida, who is also in charge of the Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti department.
She also pointed out that Modi has made efforts to empower women socially and economically.
The deputy CM said several women-centric schemes, like Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, piped drinking water in every household under Jal Jeevan Mission, bank accounts under Jan Dhan Yojana and Lakhpati Didi, have been introduced.
Odisha’s Subhadra Yojana has become the pioneer of women’s empowerment, she said.
Reacting to Parida’s statements, BJD leader Tukuni Sahu said that it was legendary Biju Patnaik, who had introduced 33 per cent reservation for women in the three-tier panchayat system when he was the chief minister from 1990 to 1995.
“Biju Babu had worked for women’s reservation during his time. Therefore, the real credit should go to Biju Patnaik,” she said.
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty, in a statement, said Odisha has gone ahead with its transformative efforts.
“Biju Patnaik, during his term as the chief minister, initiated the Panchayati Raj Reforms and initiated 33 per cent reservation for women in the three-tier Panchayat system. Similarly, Naveen Patnaik, during his term as the CM of Odisha, increased the reservation for women in the Panchayat system to 50 per cent,” he said.
The BJD leader said that Naveen Patnaik changed the traditional notion and appointed women to traditionally men-dominated departments.
“Naveen Patnaik had sent teams from Odisha to several states for the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill. Now, after a delay, the move is being undertaken.” PTI AAM AAM BDC
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