New Delhi [India], July 20 : After attending the all-party meeting convened by the Central government ahead of Parliament's monsoon session, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra on Sunday stated that the party will raise concerns regarding the deteriorating law and order situation in Odisha during the upcoming session.
Speaking to ANI, Patra claimed that the collapsed law and order situation in the state under the rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was a reflection of "utter lawlessness and anarchy", further stating that there had been an alarming rise in heinous crimes against women and girl children in the state.
"One of our primary issues would be the deteriorating law and order situation in the state of Odisha. There seems to be a complete collapse of law and order situation in the state of Odisha by the BJP government there and there seems to be a day-to-day rise, an alarming rise of heinous crimes against women and girl children in the state of Odisha.... This clearly shows how the Odisha BJP government is running the state of Odisha in utter lawlessness and anarchy..." BJD MP Patra said.
Highlighting a recent incident that shocked the state, Patra referred to the tragic self-immolation of a student in Balasore district, claiming the victim had reached out multiple times to public representatives and government officials before taking the drastic step.
"The recent incident of the self-immolation of a student in Balasore district of Odisha has shaken the conscience of this nation. She reached out to the BJP MP in Balasore. She reached out to the local administration there. She tweeted to the Odisha chief minister and the higher education minister. Everyone turned their back on her. She was a student as well as an active member of ABVP. She self-immolated and tragically passed away," he added.
Patra also cited other recent incidents, including the alleged setting ablaze of a 15-year-old girl in Puri district and an attack on a senior Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation officer.
"Yesterday only, a 15-year-old girl in Puri district was set ablaze by miscreants...About 20 days back, the Additional Commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation was beaten up by five BJP local leaders who were then arrested," he said.
The BJD leader further mentioned that the party would raise the issue of the stampede that occurred during the recent Puri Rath Yatra, along with several other state-specific concerns. "The stampede during the Puri Rath yatra and several such issues would be taken up..." he added.
The Monsoon Session of Parliament is scheduled to run from July 21 to August 21, with no sittings on August 13 and 14 in light of Independence Day celebrations.