Bhubaneswar: Calling the Opposition Congress a “sinking party,” Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Monday said his government would soon publish a white paper on the alleged rise in atrocities against women in the state.
Majhi made this remark in response to an agitation by Congress supporters, led by its newly elected OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, March 1. The Opposition party had alleged that crimes against women in Odisha had risen since the BJP came to power eight months ago.
“Let the Congress target the government. Congress is a sinking party, and it is doing so (agitation) in order to come to the limelight. It is making baseless allegations. The state government will soon bring a white paper on the issue (women atrocities),” Majhi told reporters on the sidelines of the CM’s Grievance Hearing session.
Majhi, who also holds the home portfolio, claimed that the number of cases involving women had drastically decreased compared to the previous government.
“Our government has been taking quick action against accused persons and sending them to jail. The court will consider cases and sentence punishment for the accused,” the CM said.
He added that as an opposition party, Congress should raise such issues in the Assembly, such as during the question hour, zero hour, or as an adjournment motion.
“Let there be discussions. Our government is fully prepared to discuss the issues. We are not the government which runs away from the Assembly; it is the people’s government,” Majhi emphasised.
However, Congress leaders were not immediately available to comment on Majhi’s remarks.
On March 1, Congress workers and leaders had staged an agitation near the CM’s residence in the city to protest crimes against women in the state.
“Over 1,600 cases of crimes against women, including 54 gang-rapes, were registered in the last eight months. Children are getting pregnant in state-run schools. What is happening in the land of Lord Jagannath?” OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das had told reporters while attacking the BJP.
The Congress, which has already constituted a fact-finding team to investigate the violence against women, said, “Schoolgirls in Malkangiri, Jajpur and Keonjhar districts have gotten pregnant while staying in state-run hostels. How is this possible?”
While Das said Majhi, as the Home Minister, could not escape responsibility, his colleague and senior Congress leader Meenakshi Bahinipati alleged that the victims of crimes against women were primarily tribal.
“We have a tribal leader as the Chief Minister, and he has utterly failed to protect the state’s girls and women,” she said.
PTI