Bhubaneswar: The women’s wing of Odisha Congress Thursday staged a protest outside the assembly, demanding immediate implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures.
Holding posters, banners and party flags, Congress workers took part in a ‘Vidhan Sabha Gherao’ protest as a special assembly session was underway on ‘Participation of Women in Indian Democracy’.
Senior leaders, including OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, women’s wing president Minakshi Bahinipati, AICC secretary Jetti Kusum Kumar, state Mahila Congress in-charge Tulika Karma, former Union minister Srikant Jena and others participated in the demonstration.
The protest turned tense when agitators attempted to breach police barricades and move towards the assembly building, leading to a scuffle. Police detained several Congress workers and later released them, an officer said.
Addressing the gathering, Das accused the BJP of trying to mislead people by holding a special assembly session on women’s reservation and demanded immediate implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act passed by Parliament in 2023.
He also announced a statewide agitation in the first week of May against what he called the ‘anti-women stance’ of the BJP-led government.
“In the 141-year history of the Congress, a woman president has led the party for more than 50 years, while in the 46-year history of the BJP, they have not given a single woman the opportunity to lead the party,” Jetti Kusum Kumar said.
Minakshi Bahinipati alleged that the BJP was creating confusion over the issue.
“When the bill came to Parliament in 2023, all non-BJP parties, including the Congress, supported it. The bill became a law. Why was it not implemented in the 2024 general elections?” asked Jena.
“What is the meaning of linking delimitation with women’s reservation? The Women’s Reservation Act should be implemented based on the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats and the current strength of state Assemblies,” he said.
