BHUBANESWAR: The BJD on Sunday launched the ‘Nari Adhikar Abhijan’ campaign, seeking 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and Assembly seats by delinking their reservation from delimitation. The campaign will be held across all 147 Assembly constituencies till May 25.
Party president and leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik virtually launched the campaign on the day. Addressing a function held on the occasion, Naveen said reservation should now be given to women based on the current number of Lok Sabha seats without linking it to the Delimitation Bill. “The BJD had in 2023 fully supported the Women’s Reservation Bill,” he added.
Coming down heavily on the Centre over the issue, Naveen said the BJD has always fought to ensure the rights of women and will continue to do so in the future as well. Stating that the rise in atrocities against women in Odisha over the past few years is extremely worrying, the LoP said BJD is taking forward the campaign started by former chief minister Biju Patnaik to empower women.
Referring to the murder of a pregnant woman in Hinjili recently in front of her three-year-old child, Naveen said women have become increasingly insecure and are being deprived from getting their rights under the BJP government.
“Biju babu had history of implementing 33 per cent reservation for women in panchayati raj institutions which was increased to 50 per cent under the BJD government,” the party president said.
Stating that the BJD had given 33 pc seats to women in 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he said, “Empty vessels are now making much noise.” People who have done nothing for women are now making big claims, he added.
President of Biju Mahila Janata Dal Snehangini Chhuria and other women leaders also targeted the government over the increasing crime against women in the state.