Bhubaneswar: The Opposition BJD Saturday alleged that peace-loving Odisha has become a “disturbed state” in view of the rising crime graph under the BJP rule.
Addressing a press conference here, BJD senior general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar claimed that incidents of murder and violence that have taken place in the state over the last 10 days clearly indicate that common people are “not feeling safe as there is no rule of law” in the state.
She cited the instances of an attempt to murder a Dalit woman after rape in Dhenkanal, the murder of a pregnant mother in front of her 3-year-old daughter in Ganjam district, an attempt to murder a youth in broad daylight in Puri district, and the recent mob lynching of a GRP constable in Khurda district, indicating that law and order in the state has “completely collapsed”.
“According to the allegations made by the constable’s mother, her son was working as a trainer in the gym of an ADGP. That ADGP reportedly had gym businesses at several places across Bhubaneswar. Besides this, he also has truck business. Was the Director General of Police unaware of these facts? If serving police officers remain engaged in business activities, then the collapse of law and order in the state is natural,” the BJD leader said.
Samantsinghar further cited another instance of Balianta area in Khurda district, where a young man was beaten to death with stones over a dispute of Rs 20,000.
“Police have so far failed to arrest the main accused involved in all these crimes. This clearly shows that these criminals are operating under the political protection of the government,” the BJD leader said, expressing deep concern that the state, which had earned recognition across India as a peaceful state under the BJD rule, has turned into a “disturbed state” under the BJP government.
BJD’s Jagatsinghpur district women wing president Lora Mohapatra said the government has “completely failed” to stop the rising violence and atrocities against women in the state.
“If the chief minister himself, who is in charge of the Home department, is unable to handle the law and order situation, then he should immediately transfer the department to someone else,” she demanded.
Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo claimed that the state government has taken the recent mob lynching incident seriously, and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has issued instructions to the chief secretary and DGP to ensure that all culprits are arrested and no one is spared.
Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan rejected the BJD allegations and claimed that Odisha’s rate of conviction, which remained at around eight per cent during the previous government, has increased to 40 per cent. All the accused persons are arrested within 24 or 48 hours, and criminals are not spared.