Odisha Mahila Congress protests in Bhubaneswar, demands Women's Reservation Act rollout
Synopsis
Odisha Mahila Congress took to the streets of Bhubaneswar on 30 April, demanding immediate implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, 2023 — a law passed unanimously by Parliament yet still not operationalised. With detentions, barricade scuffles, and statewide torchlight rallies planned for May, the Congress is turning women's reservation into a sustained political flashpoint against the BJP.
Key Takeaways
Odisha Mahila Congress held a large protest near Lower PMG, Bhubaneswar on 30 April 2025 , demanding implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, 2023 .
Several women protesters were detained after attempting to breach police barricades near the state Assembly.
PCC President Bhakta Charan Das announced torchlight processions across the state on May 3–4 and block-level rallies on May 7–8 .
AICC Co-Incharge J.T.
Kusum Kumar noted that women have led Congress for over 50 of its 141 years , while no woman has ever led the BJP in its 46-year history .
Congress questioned why the BJP did not implement the Act during the 2024 general elections despite holding a parliamentary majority.
Members of Odisha Mahila Congress, the women's wing of the Indian National Congress in the state, on Thursday, 30 April staged a large demonstration near Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar, demanding the immediate implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, 2023, which guarantees 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies. The protest also targeted what Congress leaders described as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led double-engine government's alleged 'anti-women' stance.
Protest Turns Tense Near State Assembly
Following a public meeting where senior Congress leaders addressed party workers, a large number of women supporters attempted to march towards the Odisha state Assembly, raising slogans and pressing their demands. Police had erected barricades to prevent the march from advancing, and as the situation escalated, protesters attempted to breach the barricades, triggering a scuffle between demonstrators and police personnel. Several women protesters were detained and taken into custody to maintain law and order, officials said.
What Congress Leaders Said
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Bhakta Charan Das warned that a statewide agitation would be launched against the BJP-led government's alleged anti-women stance. He announced that women across the state would hold protests in the first week of May against what he called confusion being created by the ruling BJP over the implementation of the reservation law.
Das further announced that torchlight processions organised by the Mahila Congress under the supervision of district Congress committees would be held across the state on the evenings of May 3 and 4, with block-level rallies scheduled for May 7 and 8.
Point of View
2023 was a rare instance of near-unanimous parliamentary consensus — yet it remains unimplemented, with both parties now trading blame. The Congress is strategically using the issue to position itself as a champion of women's representation, but its own record of delayed action on the bill over decades invites scrutiny. The BJP's silence on a clear implementation timeline is the more pressing accountability gap. With Odisha's political landscape competitive and women voters increasingly assertive, whichever party credibly owns this issue could gain a structural advantage — but that requires action, not rallies.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Women's Reservation Act, 2023?
The Women's Reservation Act, 2023 is a law passed unanimously by the Indian Parliament that guarantees 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies. Despite its passage, the Act has not yet been operationalised, as implementation is linked to a delimitation exercise yet to be conducted.
Why did Odisha Mahila Congress protest in Bhubaneswar on 30 April?
Odisha Mahila Congress protested near Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar on 30 April 2025 to demand the immediate implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, 2023 and to highlight what Congress leaders called the BJP-led government's anti-women stance. Several protesters were detained after attempting to march towards the state Assembly.
What agitation has Congress planned for May 2025 in Odisha?
Congress has announced torchlight processions across Odisha on the evenings of May 3 and 4, organised by Mahila Congress under district Congress committees, followed by block-level rallies on May 7 and 8. PCC President Bhakta Charan Das also indicated a broader statewide agitation is being planned.
Why has the Women's Reservation Act not been implemented yet?
The Act's implementation is tied to a fresh delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies, which has not yet been carried out. Congress alleges this is a political delay by the BJP, while the BJP has not provided a clear timeline for operationalising the law.
What did AICC Co-Incharge J.T. Kusum Kumar say at the protest?
J.T. Kusum Kumar stated that women have led the Congress party for more than 50 years of its 141-year history, while the BJP has never appointed a woman to lead the party in its 46-year existence. He called the BJP's charge that Congress is anti-women laughable.
