Bhubaneswar: The state Congress, Thursday, claimed that the Odisha police have a bad track record of dealing with cases of rape. Shoddy investigations in such cases create more woes for the victims than give justice to them.
The party spokesperson in the state Satyaprakash Nayak, Thursday, held a media briefing and attacked the state government and the state police for their poor record in dealing with cases of rapes and crimes against women.
The Congress spokesperson said the incidents of crime against women are rising in the state due to the inefficiency and lack of sincerity and responsibility of the ruling BJD government.
“There have been numerous cases where the rape victims have been more victimized due to non-cooperation by the police. In the recent rape case of a Mayurbhanj lecturer, the victim kept on asking for help from the police to nab the blackmailer but later she had to take an extreme step and end her life as the police failed to intervene timely,” he said.
Nayak also attacked the state government for giving patronage to politicians accused in rape and other heinous crimes against women. “At a time the Chief Minister talks about women safety and on the other side he gives patronage to the rape accused politicians of his party. I want to ask why the court, while acquitting the BJD MLA Pradeep Maharathy, said that he was acquitted due to lack of proof given by the Crime Branch?”
Nayak asked why did the state not hand over the case to CBI and went ahead with the probe by the Crime Branch which failed to conduct a fair probe. The Congress leader accused the state government of often denying people justice in cases of rape and assault of women.
“What happened in the Kunduli rape case, Khandagiri rape case and other such cases speaks volumes on what kind of justice the women victims get in the state under the Naveen sarkar. The BJD says that the Opposition does politics on women issues. But the fact is it is BJD which adds political colour to such cases and deprive justice to the women.”
Odisha Congress today demanded a special session of the state Assembly to discuss the rising incidents of rape in the state.
Congress Spokesperson Satya Nayak told newsmen here the house should take a decision for an impartial inquiry into all such cases of crime against women and make provision for punishing the guilty.
The Congress also demanded a white paper in view of the security, safety, prestige and self-respect of the women.
Nayak urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to discuss the issue with the leaders of all political parties and chalk out a specific, timely and dependable strategy to deal with such crimes.