Bhubaneswar, Apr 19 (PTI) Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday slammed BJD chief Naveen Patnaik and asked him to “stop spreading falsehood” on Odisha’s alleged reduction of political representation in Parliament if the delimitation bill was passed.
The senior BJP leader made the statement in response to the former chief minister’s claim on Saturday that all 20 BJP MPs from Odisha voted against the state’s interest when the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was placed before the Lok Sabha on April 17.
Patnaik had claimed that Odisha’s political rights will be hit if the bill was passed.
“Odisha’s representation in Parliament, which stands at 3.9 per cent, will be reduced to 3.4 per cent if the delimitation bill is passed,” Patnaik had claimed and urged all MPs from the state, including the BJP, to vote against it.
However, the BJP MPs voted in favour of the bill, which, however, was defeated due to a lack of two-third support in the House.
Pradhan, on the other hand, claimed that Odisha’s representation will increase from 3.87 per cent to 3.91 per cent if the bill is passed.
The number of Lok Sabha members from the state will also increase from the existing 21 to 32 after the delimitation bill is passed, he said.
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty, replying to Pradhan’s statement, said in a social media post: “He is lying and misleading the state. To raise aspersions on Naveen Patnaik, the most popular leader of Odisha and a towering personality of the nation, by trying to sell utter lies to the nation is derogatory, condemnable, and anti-Odisha. Pradhan should get his facts checked first and know that there can be no shortcut in Parliamentary proceedings, and the Lok Sabha cannot be used as someone’s personal fiefdom.” Earlier, taking to X, Pradhan said, “I was surprised to hear the statement made by @Naveen_Odisha, the leader of the opposition party in Odisha, through the media. How could a person like you make such a statement that is creating confusion in the minds of the people of Odisha? The things you have said seem baseless and ridiculous.” The Union education minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government tried to ensure 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies through the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’.
During the discussion on the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill in Parliament on April 16 and 17, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had clearly stated that the representation of all states in the country, including Odisha, will increase by 50 per cent, he said.
“The number of Lok Sabha seats in Odisha will increase from 21 to 32, and accordingly, at least 11 women will get the opportunity to represent Odisha as new MPs. Odisha’s representation in the Lok Sabha is currently 3.87 per cent, while if these seats increase, it will rise to 3.91 per cent, thereby strengthening Odisha’s role at the national level,” Pradhan said.
The Lok Sabha MP from Sambalpur further said, “We expect fact-based information from people like you (Patnaik). I believe that if you reveal the truth based on facts instead of spreading falsehoods, the true interests of Odisha will be served.” In his reply, Mohanty further mentioned that Pradhan is a four-term MP and should know the Parliamentary procedure well, especially on bills and amendments.
“The contents in the bills are not approved by a casual verbal assurance. It needs to be mentioned as content in the bill. Who has stopped the home minister from mentioning that the increase will be 50 per cent in every state when the bill was tabled? We have also heard what the home minister said. Not once did he mention that there will be an increase in Odisha’s LS seats from 21 to 32!” Mohanty said.
The BJD also clarified that its is stand that the party welcomes the women’s reservation bill to be implemented singularly in letter and spirit.
“However, it is unacceptable that the delimitation bill be passed as a rider to the women’s reservation bill coercively before the 2027 Census, at a democratic representational loss to Odisha. Nothing less than 3.9 per cent representation in an increased House of 850; around 34 seats, is acceptable to Odisha and BJD,” it said. PTI AAM AAM ACD
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