Bhubaneswar, April 19: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday slammed opposition parties, led by Congress, for blocking the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, which sought to implement one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies. He stated that the women of India would respond decisively at the ballot box. Speaking at a press conference in Bhubaneswar, Majhi referred to April 17 as a "black day" in Indian democratic history, accusing the opposition of derailing the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, a crucial step toward empowering women in politics. "April 17 marked a dark chapter in Indian democracy, as opposition parties, spearheaded by Congress, dashed the hopes of millions of women across the country by defeating the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill. What’s worse, they celebrated this defeat with smiles, turning it into a festival," Majhi remarked. He clarified that this setback was not a defeat for Indian women but rather a reflection of the opposition’s arrogance and shortsightedness. Majhi further asserted that India’s women would give a fitting response to the betrayal by the opposition during the upcoming elections. The Chief Minister likened the opposition’s celebration of the defeat to the jubilation of Congress during the imposition of Emergency on June 25, 1975, a period marked by widespread political repression. Majhi also aimed the opposition’s stance on women’s empowerment, noting that their rhetoric on the issue had often been reduced to mere slogans. "When it comes to giving women real respect and genuine rights, their words are not backed by action," he added. Targeting Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, the Chief Minister expressed his disappointment that, despite being women themselves, they opposed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. BJP leader and Member of Parliament, Bansuri Swaraj, also weighed in, criticizing the opposition for blocking the implementation of the women’s reservation bill. She explained that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intended for the bill to be enacted swiftly so that it could be reflected in the upcoming elections. However, the opposition’s actions had thwarted this goal, betraying the women of India. Swaraj also aimed at the Trinamool Congress, pointing out that despite having a woman Chief Minister in Mamata Banerjee, the party failed to support the women’s reservation measure when it truly mattered. On the topic of the delimitation bill, Swaraj clarified that the government had proposed using the 2011 Census data to avoid unnecessary delays and suggested that seats could be increased by up to 50 percent to ensure proportional representation for all states. This approach, she noted, would protect the interests of southern states that had made significant progress in controlling population growth. Swaraj emphasized that without delimitation, women’s reservation could not be effectively implemented, as it required redefinition of constituencies based on the latest population figures.
