Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday asserted that his BJP government has ended the era of political protection for criminals and declared “zero tolerance” towards crimes against women and minors, daring the Opposition to name even a single case in the last 18 months where an accused in a women-related crime was deliberately spared or shielded.
Replying to a heated debate on the Home Department’s demand for grants in the Assembly, Majhi said, “I am as worried as anyone about any incident of violence against women. Ideally, not a single case should happen. But despite our best efforts, some unfortunate incidents do occur. What matters is our response — and we have adopted zero tolerance.”
Countering sharp attacks from the BJD and Congress over recent cases of gang-rape, sexual harassment leading to suicide, and crimes against minor girls, the Chief Minister threw a direct challenge: “Those pointing fingers today — can they name one case of crime against women where the accused was intentionally not arrested or given political protection under this government? I can cite many where the previous regime protected the culprits.”
Majhi highlighted swift police action under his government, including a POCSO case in Bhubaneswar’s Chandaka area that was investigated, charge-sheeted, tried, and concluded with a 20-year rigorous imprisonment sentence in just 37 days.
“The licence for political protection that criminals enjoyed earlier has expired permanently and will never be renewed,” he declared, adding, “Criminals have two options — reform themselves, or the police will reform them. If anyone wants to test the law and order machinery, we are fully ready.”
The Opposition remained unrelenting. BJD’s Byamakesh Ray accused police stations of functioning like “BJP party offices” and alleged political pressure on officers. Congress leader Rama Chandra Kadam claimed tribal and Dalit women were particularly vulnerable under the present regime, saying their hopes had been betrayed.
Defending the government, BJP MLA Babu Singh pointed out that several influential persons have been arrested in the last 17 months — something that was “impossible” during the previous BJD rule.
The Assembly later passed the first supplementary statement of expenditure for the Home, General Administration, and Public Grievances departments.
