Bhubaneswar: Why is the Opposition afraid to debate such a crucial issue? Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari asked on Monday, as reports emerged that the ruling BJP is set to bring a censure motion against the BJD and Congress for failing to support the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament, during the Special Assembly session on April 30.
“The session will allow the Opposition parties to present their arguments and clarify their position on the Women’s Reservation Bill. We want an open and transparent discussion on the recent development pertaining to the landmark legislation, officially known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which seeks to empower women by reserving 33% of seats for them in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies (Vidhan Sabhas).The government will also put forward its views clearly,” he told reporters.
He added that the people of Odisha have the right to know who is truly responsible for the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to expedite the implementation of the women’s quota by advancing delimitation based on the 2011 Census rather than waiting for Census 2027.
“If they have the courage, they should come to the Vidhan Sabha on April 30. They will be given all the time they need to explain their stand,” the minister asserted.
The Mohan Majhi government is also likely to prominently showcase its achievements in women’s empowerment over the past 19 months, and pass a resolution encouraging the Centre to implement the women’s quota during the upcoming session. This move is part of a coordinated strategy by the BJP across its ruled states to strengthen its position on the issue.
Opposition parties, including BJD and Congress, have dismissed the special session as “drama” and political posturing, preparing counterattacks on issues like women’s safety.
Notably, BJD president Naveen Patnaik has been opposing the linkage of women’s reservation with delimitation. He had written letters to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and all MPs from Odisha irrespective of party affiliations, urging them to oppose the legislation while warning that it would bring down the state’s representation in Lok Sabha from 3.9 per cent to 3.4 per cent.
On Sunday, BJD Rajya Sabha member Sulata Deo reiterated the party’s position, accusing the BJP of misleading the public and displaying an “anti-women mindset.” She questioned why the 2023 Act had not been implemented immediately and criticised the failure to reserve 180 out of 543 Lok Sabha seats directly. Deo also highlighted the BJD’s record of fielding 33% women candidates in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, contrasting it with the BJP’s approach, and raised concerns over women’s safety in the state under the current “double-engine” government.
