BJD demands women’s safety be ensured in Odisha before launching MKVY
Bhubaneswar, Feb 4 (UNI) The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has strongly criticised the Odisha government, urging it to guarantee the safety of women before inaugurating schemes like the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah Yojana (MKVY).
In a statement, BJD media coordinator Lenin Mohanty said Chief Minister Mohan Majhi launched the scheme in Ganjam districton Tuesday, while reports surfaced of a shocking attempted rape of a minor girl in Kandhamal district.
The girl was allegedly lured into a forest and assaulted before escaping, highlighting a serious lapse in women’s safety under the BJP-led “double-engine” government.
Mohanty said Odisha has witnessed a disturbing rise in crimes against women over the past 18 months.
He cited the Chief Minister’s own Assembly reply, noting that 37,611 women-related crime cases were registered in just 15 months, including over 4,000 rapes.
Recalling recent incidents, Mohanty listed a series of atrocities against women and girls across the state: the gang rape at Gopalpur beach, the burning of a minor girl in Balanga, the murder of a Tentulikhunti tribal girl murder, the misconduct at Bharatpur police station, the gang rape of a Dalit minor in Kuchinda, the sexual assault at Lamtaput residential school in Koraput, and several other horrific cases in Kendujhar, Berhampur, and Malkangiri.
“These repeated incidents not only endanger women but shake social trust and threaten the safety of educational institutions,” Mohanty said.
He demanded urgent security measures for girls and swift, impartial action against criminals targeting women and students in Odisha.
Mohanty added that the BJD has consistently raised its voice for women’s safety, demanding justice for victims, exemplary punishment for perpetrators, and concrete steps to ensure security in schools and colleges.
He contrasted the current situation with the tenure of former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who empowered 70 lakh women through Mission Shakti. “Today, women in Odisha feel unsafe and deprived of justice,” he said.
The BJD urged the Odisha government to take immediate steps to restore confidence among women and ensure their protection before promoting welfare schemes.
