No Political Shield for Criminals in Odisha: CM Majhi’s Zero Tolerance Stand
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday declared that his BJP government has permanently ended the era of political protection for criminals, stressing a “zero tolerance” policy towards crimes against women and minors.
Speaking during a heated debate on the Home Department’s demand for grants in the Assembly, Majhi challenged the Opposition to cite even a single case in the past 18 months where an accused in a women-related crime was deliberately spared.
He emphasised that while unfortunate incidents do occur, the government’s response has been swift and uncompromising.
Majhi highlighted a recent case in Bhubaneswar’s Chandaka area, where a POCSO trial concluded with a 20-year rigorous imprisonment sentence in just 37 days — a record of speedy justice under his administration. “The licence for political protection that criminals enjoyed earlier has expired permanently and will never be renewed,” he asserted.
Opposition leaders, however, remained critical. BJD’s Byamakesh Ray accused police stations of functioning like “BJP party offices,” while Congress leader Rama Chandra Kadam alleged that tribal and Dalit women remain particularly vulnerable under the current regime.
Defending the government, BJP MLA Babu Singh pointed out that several influential persons have been arrested in the last 17 months, something he claimed 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, marking a significant step in the government’s law-and-order agenda.
