Bhubaneswar, March 1 – A protest led by Congress workers against the rising crimes against women in Odisha turned chaotic on Saturday as demonstrators clashed with police near Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s residence in Bhubaneswar.
Led by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Bhakta Charan Das, hundreds of party members marched towards the CM’s residence on Mahatma Gandhi Marg, chanting slogans condemning the alleged increase in crimes against women. The demonstration was halted a few hundred meters from the chief minister’s residence, leading to a heated altercation with police personnel.
Congress Raises Alarm Over Women’s Safety in Odisha
Addressing the media, Das accused the BJP-led government, which assumed office in June last year, of failing to curb crimes against women."Over 1,600 cases of crimes against women, including 54 gang rapes, have been registered in the last eight months. Even more disturbing, children are getting pregnant in state-run schools. What is happening in the land of Lord Jagannath?" he questioned.
Referring to incidents in multiple districts, he further alleged, "Schoolgirls in Malkangiri, Jajpur, and Keonjhar have become pregnant while staying in government-run hostels. How is this possible? The chief minister must answer."
Congress Alleges Government Inaction
Das criticized Chief Minister Majhi, who also holds the Home Department portfolio, for failing to take responsibility for the deteriorating law and order situation.Congress leader Meenakshi Bahinipati also alleged that most victims of crimes against women in the state belonged to tribal communities.
"We have a tribal chief minister, yet he has utterly failed to protect the girls and women of the state," she asserted.
Congress Forms Team to Investigate Atrocities
Since taking charge as OPCC president, Das has made women’s safety a key agenda. On February 26, he formed a special team to visit different districts and investigate cases of violence against women."At least seven women face some form of atrocity every day in Odisha," he claimed.
The protest, which escalated into scuffles between Congress workers and law enforcement personnel, underscores the growing political pressure on the state government over women’s safety. With elections approaching, the issue is expected to remain at the forefront of Odisha’s political discourse.
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