Biju Mahila Janata Dal to stage statewide protests over women’s safety

Bhubaneswar, Sep 16 (UNI) The Biju Mahila Janata Dal (BMJD) today announced that it will stage protests in front of all district SP offices across Odisha tomorrow, demanding stronger measures for women’s safety.
The move comes in the wake of the recent Bali Harachandi gangrape incident in Puri district, where a young girl was allegedly gangraped while her boyfriend was tied to a tree.
The party leaders said the shocking incident highlighted the deteriorating law-and-order situation and the state government’s failure to ensure safety for women and tourists at popular destinations.
Addressing a press conference, BJD Chief Whip and MLA Pramila Mallick, Senior General Secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar, and former Women’s Commission Chairperson Minati
Behera strongly criticised the state government over the rising cases of sexual violence.
They said the BMJD would submit memoranda to the district SPs demanding strict action
against the culprits.
Mallick said that incidents of rape, gangrape, and atrocities against women were increasing every day while the government had “utterly failed” to control the situation.
She described the Bali Harachandi case as a repeat of the Gopalpur beach gangrape and alleged that such crimes showed no sign of stopping.

The leaders also pointed out that Odisha’s image had suffered nationally and internationally due to the rise in such crimes.
They recalled that after the Gopalpur incident, the US government had issued a travel advisory cautioning women against visiting Odisha, along with five other states.

They also referred to cases like the self-immolation of an FM College student and the Balanga burning incident, which drew strong criticism, including condemnation from the Supreme Court
as “shameful.”
Samantsinghar alleged that since the BJP came to power in Odisha, crimes against women had “crossed all limits,” claiming that an average of 15 rapes were being reported daily. She accused the government of making hollow promises, pointing out that Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida’s assurance of safety at “lovers’ points” had been rendered meaningless after the Bali Harachandi incident.
Minati Behera added that the women and child desks set up during the BJD government had become dysfunctional, depriving victims of speedy justice.
She said the 181 Women’s Helpline was no longer operational, and cases of women’s trafficking had increased in the past 14 months, while the government continued to turn a blind eye.