Is the Odisha Government Ignoring Rising Crimes Against Women?

Bhubaneswar, June 24 (NationPress) In a fierce critique of the Odisha government regarding the reported surge in crimes against women and children, the Congress fact-finding team on Tuesday accused the state authorities of showing complete negligence towards incidents of violence against women.

During a press briefing in Bhubaneswar, Deepa Dasmunshi, the head of the Congress Fact-Finding Committee, charged that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has failed to ensure the safety of women and appears uninterested in addressing their distress. She further claimed that under the BJP-led administration over the past year, there has been a troubling increase in atrocities against women, including rapes, disappearances, and organ trafficking incidents in Odisha.

Dasmunshi raised significant concerns about the delayed establishment of the State Commission for Women, questioning, “Without a Women’s Commission in Odisha, where are the victims supposed to file their complaints? Why hasn’t the Chief Minister taken action to form a new commission yet?”

The team denounced the recent horrific gangrape case in Gopalpur and expressed grave worry over the increasing number of missing women and children statewide. “Women in Odisha are living in fear. They are desperately seeking protection. We are deeply saddened to hear their stories,” stated Dasmunshi.

The Congress leader noted that the Chief Minister’s Office denied their request for a meeting, alleging that the government is willfully neglecting the rising outcry regarding violence against women in Odisha. “The CM is unwilling to listen despite the escalating atrocities. The administration is out of touch with the reality on the ground,” she added.

The team pledged to address the issue in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and plans to consult with President Droupadi Murmu to raise national awareness. “We will bring the issues of women’s gangrapes and increasing violence in Odisha directly to the President of India,” declared Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan. She highlighted that despite the purportedly strong governance, Odisha has not managed to guarantee women’s safety. “Every 5 km, a woman is attacked; every 10 km, a child is harmed. The incidents of gangrape and murder of minor girls are on the rise. Yet, the government remains apathetic,” Ranjan emphasized.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhakta Charan Das criticized the state's inaction and silence, stating, “Justice must be served to instill fear in the hearts of perpetrators. Until the guilty are punished, this cycle of violence will persist.” The Congress party made it evident that it would not remain silent and will keep applying pressure until the government guarantees justice and safety for the women and children of Odisha.

The five-member Congress fact-finding team, formed on June 19 after the brutal gang rape of a college student at Gopalpur beach on June 15, visited several locations in Ganjam, Kandhamal, Keonjhar districts, and engaged with women victims, their families, local residents, and police officials over the past four days.