The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) expressed disapproval towards the BJP-led Union Government for delays and alleged false propaganda surrounding the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill. Koraput MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, speaking at a press conference, raised concerns about the government’s delayed actions since the Bill’s passage in 2023. Ulaka questioned the extended timeline, highlighting the recent Gazette notification issued on April 16, 2026, three years after the Bill became law.
Ulaka emphasized the Congress party’s stance on immediate implementation from 2024, advocating for the reservation of 181 seats in the Lok Sabha for women, alongside provisions for SC, ST, and OBC communities. He criticized the government’s decision to link the implementation to the 2026 Census and delimitation, proposing reservations in an expanded House of 850 seats. Ulaka further alleged that the delimitation process could impact representation in certain states and accused the BJP of spreading misinformation regarding women’s reservation.
The Koraput MP also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning his recent national address where he mentioned the Congress and TMC multiple times. Ulaka accused the PM of avoiding key issues and highlighted the need for reserved seats for women within the existing parliamentary setup. He announced plans for nationwide protests against the BJP government’s alleged anti-women policies and misinformation campaign, led by Priyanka Gandhi and involving women MPs and grassroots workers.
