Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Thursday strongly advocated for greater women’s representation in leadership roles, asserting that women are increasingly leading from the front across sectors and deserve equal participation in legislative bodies.

Speaking in the Assembly, Majhi highlighted the growing role of women in national service, citing their participation in operations by the Indian Air Force as a symbol of pride for the country. He stressed that women are already contributing significantly in areas like education and governance, and questioned why they should be denied leadership opportunities in a traditionally male-dominated society.

Backing the Women’s Reservation Bill, the Chief Minister said the BJP fully supports the legislation aimed at ensuring women’s representation in Parliament and state assemblies. He accused opposition parties, particularly Congress, of taking a negative stance and “backtracking” on a crucial reform.

Women should lead beyond Panchayats: CM 

“Women should not be limited to panchayat-level participation; they must get their rightful place in Assemblies and Parliament,” Majhi said.

Highlighting examples of women in top positions, he pointed to Droupadi Murmu as the President of India, Pravati Parida as Deputy Chief Minister, and Surama Padhy as Speaker of the Odisha Assembly. He also mentioned Nirmala Sitharaman, noting her record of presenting multiple Union Budgets.

Majhi further highlighted central schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, which provides financial support to women entrepreneurs, and claimed that over one crore women in Odisha are benefiting from the state’s Subhadra scheme. He also referred to the establishment of “Nari Adalats” aimed at addressing women’s issues.

Accusing the opposition of indulging in “crocodile tears” over women’s rights, the Chief Minister said their actions do not match their rhetoric. He asserted that the government is committed to empowering women not just through policies but by ensuring their active role in decision-making.

The statement comes amid an ongoing debate in the Assembly over women’s reservation and broader issues of representation, with sharp exchanges between the ruling party and opposition leaders.