Bhubaneswar, June 24 (IANS) In a scathing attack on the Odisha government over the alleged increase in incidents of crimes against women and children in the state, the fact-finding team deputed by Congress on Tuesday accused the state administration of complete apathy towards cases of violence against women.

Speaking at a press conference in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, Deepa Dasmunshi, the convenor of the Congress Fact-Finding Committee, alleged that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was neither able to provide security to the women nor interested in listening to their sufferings. She further accused that in the last one year under the BJP-led state government, which was elected by people with lots of expectations, atrocities on women, rapes, missing and organ trafficking cases have been rising in Odisha.

Congress leader Dasmunshi also raised questions over the delay in the constitution of the State Commission for Women in the state. “There is no Women’s Commission in Odisha, where should the victims go to lodge complaints? Why hasn’t the Chief Minister constituted a new commission yet?” questioned Dasmunshi.

The team condemned the recent brutal gangrape incident in Gopalpur and expressed serious concern over the alarming number of missing women and children across the state. “Women in Odisha are living in fear. They are pleading for protection. We are heartbroken after hearing their stories,” Dasmunshi stated.

The Congress leader claimed that the Chief Minister’s Office denied their request for a meeting, further alleging that the government is deliberately ignoring the voices of concern regarding rising atrocities against women in Odisha. “Despite the escalating atrocities, the CM does not want to listen. The administration is disconnected from the ground reality,” she added.

The team vowed to raise the issue in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, while also planning to meet President Droupadi Murmu to bring the matter to national attention. “We will take the matter of women’s gangrapes and rising violence in Odisha directly to the President of India,” said Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan. She pointed out that despite the double-engine government, Odisha has failed to ensure safety for women. “Every 5 km, a woman is assaulted; every 10 km, a child is abused. Cases of gangrape and murder of minor girls are rising. But the government remains indifferent,” Ranjan added.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhakta Charan Das also slammed the state’s silence and inaction, stating, “Justice must be served to instil fear in the minds of perpetrators. Until the guilty are punished, this cycle of violence will continue.” The Congress party made it clear it would not stay silent on the issue and would continue to mount pressure until the government ensures justice and security for Odisha’s women and children.

The five-member fact-finding team of Congress, constituted on June 19 following the brutal gang rape of a college student in Gopalpur sea beach on June 15, visited various places in Ganjam, Kandhamal, Keonjhar districts, etc and spoke to the women victims, their family members, local villagers, police officials during the last four days.

–IANS

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