BJD Mocks BJP’s Selfie Campaign With Women Beneficiaries In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday came down heavily on BJP’s ‘Kamal Doot Abhiyan’, a selfie campaign to highlight women-centric initiatives of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

Speaking to the media, BJD spokesperson Shreemayee Mishra said that the saffron party should instead raise the real issues, including the Women Reservation Bill in Parliament, seeking to reserve one-third (33 per cent) seats in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies for them. “The BJD has been supporting this bill in Parliament. The BJP will do well if it joins voice to this demand,” she said.

Shreemayee further said that the state unit of the saffron party needs to highlight the plight of 90 lakh women, who could not refill their gas cylinders under the Ujjawala Yojana in 2021-22 financial year. “With the Centre discontinuing the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, more than 1 crore women of Odisha have been deprived of the additional 5 kg of free rice,” she said.

Listing out the other issues, the BJD spokesperson said that the reduction in paddy procurement is likely to affect thousands of women in the state. “At least 8 lakh tribal women in Odisha have been adversely affected by the imposition of 18 per cent GST on Kendu leaves. It clearly shows how keen the Centre is on empowering women,” she added.

Notably, the BJP’s campaign began with a selfie with Mahila Lavarthi (women beneficiaries) of various schemes from across all age groups and economic backgrounds.  While more than one crore selfies are likely to be posted on social media platforms by March next year to make women aware of the schemes launched by the Centre, it will also give them an opportunity to make a comparison between the achievements of the Modi government and the BJD government in the state, the BJP had said.