BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday accused BJD president Naveen Patnaik of attempting to frighten and mislead the people of Odisha while opposing the delimitation Bill.
Patnaik wrote to all 31 MPs of the state on Thursday, urging them to jointly fight for the protection of the state's political and economic interests, which he said are under "threat" due to the delimitation Bill.
Pradhan, who also received the letter, said, “The Leader of Opposition’s letter to MPs about the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill seems to be just fear-mongering. His claim that Odisha's political and economic interests will be undermined is completely false”.
The Bill, which was introduced by the Centre in Lok Sabha on April 16, is intended to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha from 543 to a maximum of 850.
“It is appropriate to place trust in India's Constitution and the country's Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi and Home Minister Shri @AmitShah. The Home Minister has clearly stated in Parliament that the rights of any state will not be compromised, and Odisha's rights will not be excluded from this," Pradhan said in a post on X.
The BJP MP of Sambalpur also asserted that the figure cited by the former chief minister in his letter that Odisha's representation in the Lok Sabha will decrease from 3.9 per cent to 3.4 per cent after the delimitation "holds no truth whatsoever".
“There is no question of it (representation ratio) decreasing. It is not right to frighten the general public of the state with such false and misleading information... When the time comes, everything will become clear; it is necessary to wait with patience,” Pradhan said.
The Union education minister also welcomed Patnaik and the BJD for supporting the Women's Reservation Bill.
“We all should support it with open hearts. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governance, Odisha has always remained in the forefront. This amendment Bill is not just for Odisha, but rather a historic step toward empowering women across the entire nation of India,” he said.
He said that instead of turning this matter into a controversy, it is essential to prioritise the country's overall development.
“While upholding the dignity of the Constitution, I believe we all ought to give precedence to the nation's interests over political gains,” he said.
While announcing his support for the Women's Reservation Bill, Patnaik demanded delinking it from the delimitation Bill.