Bhubaneswar, April 25 (IANS) Amid a political slugfest over the defeat of the Women’s Reservation Bill, a special session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly has been summoned on April 30 to discuss women’s representation in India’s democracy.
As per a notification issued on Friday, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition parties, including the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Indian National Congress, will hold discussions on ‘Participation of Women in Indian Democracy’ during the one-day special session of the 17th Odisha Assembly on April 30.
It is worth noting that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had earlier announced that it, along with its allies, would take to the streets across the country to “expose the anti-woman mindset” of the Opposition after the Constitution Amendment Bill on women’s reservation, along with the Delimitation Bill, failed to clear the Lok Sabha.
Expressing respect and support for the women, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday organised a massive “Jan Aakrosh Mahila Pad Yatra” in the capital city of Bhubaneswar. More than 50,000 women from different sections of society participated in the rally, held roadside meetings, and burned effigies of opposition leaders.
The party thanked all the women who came forward to fight for their rights and took part in the “Jan Aakrosh Mahila Pad Yatra.”
Similarly, the party further added that Mahila Aakrosh Sammelans will be held in all organisational districts across the state on April 24 and 25.
“This is not merely the defeat of a Bill, but the killing of mothers’ dreams. This is not a defeat for Narendra Modi, but a major setback for women across the country. While the Indian National Congress and other opposition parties treat women merely as a vote bank, the Modi government is committed to ensuring their genuine empowerment,” said Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday.
Notably, the proposed amendment to the Women’s Reservation Bill failed to advance after the Centre was unable to muster the required support in the Lok Sabha.
–IANS
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