LoP Naveen Patnaik demands immediate rollout of women’s reservation

Bhubaneswar: Addressing the Special Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, BJD president and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Naveen Patnaik today launched a sharp attack on the state government.

The Leader of Opposition cited the Jitu Munda skeleton case that he said reflected deep administrative insensitivity towards women.

Referring to the disturbing incident, Naveen Patnaik stated that a deceased woman’s family was forced to exhume her remains and present them before a bank as proof of death to access dues, after repeated harassment by officials. He said the episode exposed serious lapses in governance, accountability, and dignity for women.

He further argued that such incidents tarnish Odisha’s image and questioned the government’s claims on women’s empowerment. The BJD President stated that governance has been reduced to “narratives and optics”.

Turning to the legislative agenda, Patnaik welcomed the discussion on the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill but stressed that the Women’s Reservation Bill, passed unanimously in Parliament in 2023, should be implemented immediately.

Highlighting Odisha’s track record, he noted that the state was among the first to introduce 33% reservation for women in local bodies, later increased to 50%, and pointed to his party’s move to field 33% women candidates in Lok Sabha elections.

He criticised the Centre for linking the implementation of women’s reservation with delimitation, calling it a “clandestine move” that could affect Odisha’s political representation. He cautioned that any move undermining the state’s voice would have long-term consequences.

Reaffirming his position, the BJD president assured the people of Odisha that their rights would be protected and urged the ruling party to move beyond rhetoric on women’s empowerment.