BJD takes jibe at BJP for launching selfie campaign in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha today targeted main Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the latter’s decision to launch selfie campaign for highlighting the women-centric initiatives of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

As per a decision taken by the Odisha unit of BJP, the women wing (Mahila Morcha) of the party will launch the selfie campaign at panchayat level in this month.

As per the campaign, the members of BJP Mahila Morcha will take selfies with the beneficiaries of various women-centric schemes of the Centre and post them on social media for making people aware of the good works of Narendra Modi government.

The ruling BJD asked the Odisha unit of BJP to raise the issue of Women Reservation Bill in Parliament instead of launching the selfie campaign.

“It would be better if Odisha unit of BJP raise the issue of Women Reservation Bill in the Parliament,” said BJD spokesperson Shreemayee Mishra.

Notably, the Women Reservation Bill seeks to reserve one-third (33 per cent) seats in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies for the women.

The Bill was first introduced in the Parliament under the United Front government led by Deve Gowda. Similar versions of the Bill were also introduced in the Parliament in 1999 and 2008.

The Women Reservation Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 and sent to the Lok Sabha. However, the Bill lapsed with the end of the 15th Lok Sabha in 2014.

The BJD leader also targeted the BJP over the implementation of Ujjawala Yojana of the Centre. “Around 90 lakh women could not refill the gas cylinders under the Ujjawala Yojana in 2021-22 financial year,” she said.

The Centre has discontinued the Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. More than 1 crore women of Odisha were deprived of additional 5 kg of rice free of cost due to the discontinuation of the scheme. “Thousands of women in Odisha will be adversely affected by the non-procurement of paddy from the farmers by the Centre,” Mishra claimed.

The Centre has imposed 18 per cent GST on Kendu leaves. At least 8 lakh tribal women in Odisha have been adversely affected by the imposition of GST on Kendu leaves, said the BJD spokesperson.

“The BJP Mahila Morcha should raise the real issues of women instead of launching the selfie campaign,” she added.

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