Bhubaneswar: CM Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday lashed out at opposition parties, including the BJD, for blocking the Women’s Reservation Bill, alleging that they had betrayed women and violated their constitutional rights.Addressing a ‘Jana akrosh’ (public outrage) women’s rally here, Majhi said the stalling of the Bill was “not just the defeat of a legislation, but the abortion of mothers’ dreams”. He alleged that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to provide 33% reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies to ensure their participation in policy-making, the opposition parties blocked it for “narrow political interests”.“This is not Modi’s defeat but a severe blow to the women across the country,” Majhi said, accusing Congress and other opposition parties of treating women merely as a vote bank. “Women have faith in Modi, and that will be fulfilled in the coming days,” he said.Majhi also condemned what he described as “indecent language” used by the opposition leaders, in an indirect reference to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s recent remarks against the prime minister and women. He said the political future of the opposition would be “reduced to dust” due to public anger and urged women to raise their voice for their rights.Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida reiterated that the BJP had consistently supported women’s rights.Manmohan Samal, the BJP state president, said the discussion on the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament on April 17 had the potential to change the country’s political history. “The nation will never forgive those who did not allow the Bill to be passed,” he said, adding that protests would be taken to district, mandal and booth levels until women received “constitutional respect”.A march was organised from Exhibition Ground to Lower PMG, with women from various sections of society participating in it.The BJP accusing BJD of siding with Congress, and other parties such as DMK, TMC and Samajwadi Party, which voted against the Bill in Parliament.
