Bhubaneswar, May 11 (IANS) The Opposition parties, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress, on Monday intensified their attack on the Odisha government over the alleged deterioration in the law-and-order situation in the state.

During a press conference held at Sankha Bhawan, the main Opposition BJD alleged that incidents of violence are increasing day by day across the state.

Referring to the violent incidents reported over the last 24 hours, the regional party strongly criticised the BJP government, stating that law and order in the state had completely collapsed and that the failure of the Home Department had been fully exposed.

Addressing the press conference, party spokesperson and Media Coordinator Dr Lenin Mohanty alleged that the government had failed to establish the rule of law in the state.

Dr Mohanty said the law-and-order situation in Odisha had been completely destroyed.

He alleged that ecause of the inefficiency and indifference of the “double-engine government”, several heinous incidents had occurred during the past week in Dhenkanal, Hinjili, Kanas, Balianta and Balipatna.

“Due to inaction at the government level, the police system in the state has become weak. Police stations have turned into offices of the BJP,” Mohanty alleged.

Biju Chhatra Janata Dal president Ipsita Sahu alleged that under the present BJP government, five spine-chilling incidents had taken place within just 24 hours.

She claimed that such incidents may never have occurred anywhere in India’s history after Independence.

Sahu said Odisha Director General of Police Y.B. Khurania himself had admitted that ordinary people were feeling unsafe in the state.

She alleged that the BJP-led government had completely failed to control the law-and-order situation in Odisha.

Sahu warned that to secure justice for common people, the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal would take to the streets.

Meanwhile, workers and leaders of the Opposition Congress on Monday staged a gherao of the headquarters of the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate Police over the rising incidents of violence across the state as well as in Bhubaneswar, including the recent mob lynching of a Government Railway Police (GRP) constable on May 7.

Speaking on the occasion, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das alleged that the Congress would continue its fight against the rising crime incidents in the state.

“However, it is unfortunate that despite such inhuman incidents of mob violence and killings, neither the government nor the Chief Minister has time to address the issue. The police force is allegedly busy shielding criminals, while many criminals are joining the BJP, RSS and VHP and creating unrest,” Das alleged.

The Congress also claimed that the law-and-order situation had deteriorated to such an extent that even Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari had cautioned the government to uphold “Raj Dharma”.

–IANS

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