Bhubaneswar: A fierce war of words erupted between Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and BJD president and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Naveen Patnaik on the occasion of International Women’s Day on Saturday.
While the Chief Minister disbursed the second instalment of Subhadra Yojana on the occasion, Naveen lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at an event held at Shankha Bhawan, the headquarters of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Bhubaneswar.
Mounting a scathing attack on the BJP government, the BJD president said former chief minister Biju Patnaik had taken historic steps to politically empower mothers by making 33% reservation for women in panchayats. Biju Babu also made reservation for women in government jobs and women are actively participating in the decision-making process because of his initiatives, he said.
However, the double-engine government has insulted Biju Babu, who strengthened the Panchayati Raj institution and took historic steps for the rights of women, Naveen alleged.
He said the BJD government had increased the representation of women in Panchayati Raj institutions following the example of Biju Babu.
The BJD chief further accused the BJP government of trying to scrap Mission Shakti programme and trying to mislead self-respecting women.
Accusing the BJP government of spending hundreds of crores of rupees on propaganda, Naveen claimed that women are being given a meagre Rs 27 per day under Subhadra Yojana.
Stating that mothers will ultimately not get any benefit from the Subhadra Yojana, he called on the women workers of BJD to oppose the attempts being made to mislead mothers.
Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, on the other hand, said that the release of second instalment of financial assistance under Subhadra Yojana was a significant gift for women on the women’s day.
Stating that 1.64 crore women received the second instalment of Subhadra Yojana, he hit back at the previous BJD which remained in power for over 24 years for criticising the 9-month-old BJP government and asking as to what has been done for women. While the decision to implement Subhadra Yojana was taken in 24 minutes, more than one crore women have been empowered in 9 months, the CM said.
Coming down heavily on the previous BJD regime, the Chief Minister claimed that Naveen Patnaik government remained confined to slogans, while BJP has reached out to more than one crore women in just 9 months.
Majhi pledged to build a more inclusive, equitable, and progressive society where every woman can dream, achieve, and lead.
“Women are the backbone of our society, shaping our future with their strength, wisdom, and determination. On #InternationalWomensDay, let’s celebrate the unwavering spirit, resilience, and achievements of women across #Odisha and beyond. Let us all pledge to build a more inclusive, equitable, and progressive society where every woman can dream, achieve, and lead,” Majhi said in a post on X handle.
Hitting out at BJD, Majhi said what the Naveen Patnaik regime could not think of doing for 24 years, BJP government has made it happen. “We have also decided to arrange marriages for daughters of poor families and provide free Jagannath darshan to the poor people of the state,” the CM said.
He further said, “This program has become a revolution today, a Subhadra revolution. Because Subhadra Yojana is not just a program to distribute aid twice a year. Subhadra Yojana is going to take the form of a comprehensive campaign. Starting from the teenage girls, arrangements are being made to empower and prosper women of different ages. This will instill a new hope and faith in the minds of every Subhadra of the state.”
