Bhubaneswar: Hundreds of BJP Mahila Morcha activists Monday tried to gherao the state Secretariat to present red bangles to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his alleged failure in providing justice to the Pipli gangrape and murder victim and to “encourage him to initiate action to curb crimes against women”.
Armed with party flags, placards and red bangles and shouting anti-government slogans, BJP Mahila Morcha activists, including state unit president Pravati Parida, cine actress and MP Roopa Ganguly, Mahesweta Ray, Anu Choudhury and Lekhashree Samanta Singhar took out a rally from party headquarters here.
The Mahila Morcha workers claimed to have collected red bangles across the state, including from the mother of the victim, to present them to the Chief Minister. Diverting from their earlier plan to ghreao Naveen Niwas, they started their march from Master Canteen Square and proceeded towards the state Secretariat.
Police prevented them near PMG Square on the Sachivalaya Marg from going ahead. However, some activists managed to give the police a slip and reached at gate No 4 of the Secretariat.
Unable to move further, some BJP activists tied the red bangles on the Secretariat gate, while others threw the bangles at the police who struggled for 30 minutes to control the activists.
Following the scuffle, many saffron party activists were taken into preventive custody, while some other activists who were able to reach the Secretariat gate No 4 were allegedly manhandled by the police. Some injured women activists were also admitted in the Capital Hospital here.
“The red bangles have been collected from women across the state and it is a mark of our respect to all women who have been victims of violence. We have brought bangles and will gift them to the CM asking him to provide us security,” said Parida.
Describing the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government in the state as anti-women, the BJP leader said the Mahila Morcha would continue their agitation till the government was dislodged.
Demanding CBI inquiry into the case, Roopa Ganguly said, “On what basis, did the court acquit all the accused? And if they were released due to the lack of evidence, then who committed the heinous crime? Where have all the evidences disappeared? We want a CBI inquiry into the incident.”
Questioning the government on the recent cases of minor girls delivering babies, she said, “Odisha government has to answer how the minor girls of the state are delivering babies in government-run residential hostels. As red bangles empower the women, we will gift these bangles to Patnaikji to give him the courage to decide what is right.”
The Mahila Morcha had organised a similar protest rally January 18 and tied the red bangles on the gates of the residences of Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena, BJD MLA Akash Das Nayak and BJD leader Munna Khan to lodge their protest.
Reacting on this protest of the BJP Mahila Morcha, BJD leader Kasturi Mohapatra said, “As the BJP doesn’t have any other issues they are trying to blame the government for baseless issues. If the women in state are not safe and empowered how are they able to hit the street?”
“When sexual assaults in ashram schools in Bihar came to fore, Dharmendra Pradhan was the MP from Bihar. Why he was not asked to wear bangles and tender his resignation then? the BJD leader asked.
This government has always strived for the development and empowerment of women and incidents like rapes should be fought legally in courts and government has followed all the procedures, she added.
It is worthwhile to mention here that the Bhubaneswar Court had in December acquitted the two prime accused brothers – Sukant Pradhan and Prashant – in the sensational Pipli gangrape and murder case due to lack of evidence against them. Following a hue and cry, the Crime Brach, which is investigating the case, had knocked the doors of High Court. Subsequently, local MLA and BJD leader Pradeep Maharathy stepped down from the Cabinet for the second time on the same issue.
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