Bhubaneswar: As the Women’s Reservation Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on Tuesday following approval by the Union Cabinet, Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik played a significant role in ensuring this.
Senior BJD leader and Odisha Minister Pramila Mallik told reporters that much credit goes to the Chief Minister as he has always been working for the empowerment of women in all spheres.
Credit should also go to legendary leader and former chief minister Biju Patnaik, who gave an opportunity to the women to actively participate in politics and the CM has accelerated the process, she said.
Stating that BJD does not want to take any credit, Mallik said Naveen has been working all along to elevate the status of women in society and his dream has now been fulfilled. Odisha governmen had earlier adopted a resolution seeking reservation of 33 per cent seats in Lok Sabha and state legislatures and it is becoming a reality now, the Minister said.
It may be noted here that the Women’s Reservation Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha today by law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal today amid much uproar from the Opposition, leading to the House being adjourned for the day.
BJD had pushed for the tabling of the women’s reservation bill in Parliament as the government held an all-party meeting held .
The bill to ensure 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies was cleared by the Union cabinet on Monday, a day before it was tabled in the House today.
The seats already reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will also come within the purview of the women’s reservation.
Earlier, speaking in Lok Sabha on the first day of the special session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had dropped a huge hint on the possibility of the Bill being passed in the new Parliament building where the rest of the session would continue from Tuesday.
