Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], December 17 : BJD Mahila Morcha President Snehangini Chhuria on Wednesday strongly criticised the BJP-led Odisha government over the alleged gang-rape of a minor girl near Dhauli in Bhubaneswar, claiming a rise in crimes against women in the state.
Speaking to ANI, Chhuria said the incident was not an isolated case and claimed that several such crimes had occurred in recent months.
"The gang rape near Dhauli is not an isolated case. In Bhubaneswar, there have been 28 cases of gang rape and rape in the last two months. Nowhere are women safe under the BJP-led Odisha government. Odisha has become a hub of sexual assault against women," she alleged.
A minor was allegedly gangraped in Dhauli on December 10.
Slamming the BJP government over the incident, BJD chief and former Odisha Chief Minister said Barbarism and anarchy have crossed their limits and that the state capital is becoming unsafe.
"Criminals are fearless, and the government is losing credibility. How much more distorted does law and order have to become before the government wakes up? The government's incompetence in preventing crime is instilling fear in the general public. The BJP government's failure to ensure a safe environment for women in the capital exposes its gross negligence and insensitive conduct. The government must take strict measures to ensure women's safety from criminal tendencies. Not after the incident occurs, but the government must be proactive in preventing it beforehand," Patnaik wrote on X.