Bhubaneswar: Despite heavy rain, the Odisha Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee held a protest rally Wednesday at Master Canteen Square, condemning the alarming increase in rape and violence against women in the state.
The rally, which started from the Congress party office and headed to Master Canteen Square via Janpath, was blocked midway by police.
Undeterred by heavy rain, Mahila Congress workers, led by president Minakshi Bahinipati, broke through police barricades, leading to scuffles between protesters and security forces. Several leaders, including Bahinipati, were detained and taken into custody.
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Protesters raised slogans and waved bangles as a symbolic gesture, accusing the BJP government of neglecting women’s safety and failing to take meaningful action.
They also burned posters of CM Mohan Charan Majhi, PM Modi, and BJP state president Manmohan Samal.
“Instead of taking responsibility for their inaction and bias on women’s safety, the BJP government is resorting to theatrics,” said Bahinipati. Bahinipati strongly rebutted the BJP’s accusation that Congress is a “party of rapists,” stating that, in reality, cases of rape, gangrape, murder, and assaults against women have increased under the BJP government.
She also questioned Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida’s commitment to women’s safety, asking, “Why hasn’t she visited the Balanga victim at AIIMS yet? What is stopping her?
PNN
