BJD, Congress Slam Odisha Govt Over Spurt In Rapes, Demand Bengal-Like Law For Women’s Safety

Bhubaneswar: Mounting a scathing attack on Odisha’s BJP government over crime scenario, opposition BJD and Congress on Thursday alleged that women and children are no longer safe and secure in the state.

Claiming that incidents of crime against women and children had increased alarmingly after the Bharatiya Bajata Party (BJP) came to power in the state, leaders of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress accused the government of being apathetic towards these incidents.

Describing women as valuable assets for the society, BJD leader and opposition chief whip in the Assembly Pramila Mallik said West Bengal has enacted a stringent law after the gruesome rape and murder of a woman doctor in Kolkata.

Hailing the new law in West Bengal, Mallik told reporters that the BJP government in Odisha should also bring a similar law in the state to curb crimes including rape and murder of women.

Noting that BJP activists have been actively protesting the horrific incident in West Bengal, the BJD leader said the BJP government in Odisha should respond in similar fashion to the incidents of rape in the state and initiate prompt action.

Hitting out at the state government over recent rape and murder incidents in Keonjhar, Remuna in Balasore and Sambalpur, Mallik said atrocities on women and children have gone up significantly during the last three months after the Mohan Majhi-led government took charge.

Attacking the government in same vein, another BJD leader Goutam Buddha Das said that BJP was in the habit of attacking the previous government over crimes against women. However, the white paper issued recently showed that crimes like rape and murder had declined during the BJD rule, he claimed.

Claiming that crime against women has gone up in the last 90 days, the BJD leader alleged that the BJP government is not responding properly to heinous crimes against women. If the government fails to take concrete steps against crimes against women, BJD will hold protest both inside the Assembly and outside.

In a stinging attack on the state government, senior Congress leader and MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said women and children are not safe in Odisha.

Accusing both BJP and BJD of indulging in mud-slinging and blame game, the veteran Congress leader said the state government must swing into action and bring a new law with stringent provisions to provide justice in time-bound manner in cases of crime against women.

Speaking in same tone, Congress MLA Sofia Firdous lashed out at both BJP and BJD for indulging in blame game instead of focusing on the issue of increasing crime against women.

Voicing concern over the government’s reluctance to ban liquor, she said many cape cases including those in Balasore, Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar are linked to liquor.

Besides taking concrete measures against crime against women and ensuring their safety and security, the government must provide proper education and also impart lessons in self defence to girls, the Congress legislator said.