The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) has launched a scathing attack on the ruling BJP government and the state police, accusing them of failing to protect women and suppressing democratic protests.
In a press conference held at Congress Bhawan on Friday, PCC President Bhakta Charan Das highlighted the alarming rise in crimes against women, stating that over 60 cases of rape and gang rape have been reported in the last nine months across Odisha, with no district spared from such heinous acts.
Das condemned the government’s dismissive attitude, pointing out that Chief Minister, Law Minister, and BJP leaders have brushed aside the issue by questioning Congress’s track record instead of addressing the current crisis. “Is there anything more insulting and shameful than this for women?” he asked, emphasizing that the Congress will continue its fight until justice and safety are ensured for women in the state.
The PCC chief also recounted a recent incident where a peaceful Congress demonstration outside the Odisha Assembly was met with excessive police force. “We were demanding a House committee to investigate these crimes, but before I could even begin my speech, the police resorted to a lathi charge,” Das alleged. He claimed that the police violated all norms by attacking Congress workers, including women and students, with batons aimed at their heads, chests, and stomachs—actions he described as “inhuman” and orchestrated by the BJP to silence dissent.
AICC Media In-Charge Pawan Khera, also present at the press conference, questioned the BJP’s promise to ensure women’s safety within 100 days of coming to power. “Instead of taking steps, they beat up women demanding justice,” Khera said, referring to injuries sustained by Congress workers like Mitu Jena and Sasmitha Panda during the protest. Panda, the Kendrapada district women’s wing president, is reportedly in critical condition after being brutally assaulted by female police officers.
Das warned that if such oppressive tactics continue, the situation could escalate beyond the government’s control. “The police are meant to protect the public, not act as puppets of the ruling party,” he asserted, demanding accountability for the violence that left over 40 Congress workers injured, including 10 in serious condition.
The Congress has vowed to intensify its statewide agitation under Das’s leadership, with protests planned in every district and block to demand justice for women.
The press conference was attended by key party figures, including Legislature Party Leader Rama Chandra Kadam, former Minister Panchanan Kanungo, AICC Co-Incharge Roselina Tirkey, and MLA Sofia Firdous.
