Bhubaneswar: The Mahila Congress, the women’s wing of the Congress party, on Wednesday staged a protest at Lower PMG, in Odisha capital Bhubaneswar, over the rising cases of violence against women in the state.
Hundreds of women Congress workers from across the state gathered in the Lower PMG area, holding banners and placards, and raising anti-government slogans.
They accused the state government of failing to curb the rising atrocities against women, including cases of sexual abuse. The protesters also breached the barricades erected by the Commissionerate Police at the lower PMG. However, security personnel stopped the protesters as they attempted to march ahead in a rally to gherao the Odisha Assembly. Later, several Congress workers and leaders were picked up from the protesting spot and detained by the Commissionerate Police to bring the situation under control.
Speaking to media persons, the Odisha Women Congress President Meenakshi Bahinipati said the BJP-led state government has failed to ensure safety and security for women, forcing the party to stage protests.
“The government is unable to provide security to women in the state, that’s why we are protesting. Every day, incidents of rape and murder are taking place. Until the government ensures women’s safety, we will continue our protests on the streets,” Bahinpati said.
Criticising the government over rising crimes against women, Congress leader Yashir Nawaz alleged that the state government has failed to provide safety to women despite repeated incidents of gang-rapes, murders, and other crimes reported across districts, including Koraput, Balasore, and Gopalpur.
“Women remain unsafe, and the administration has shown complete negligence. The state has never witnessed such injustice before,” alleged Nawaz.
Meanwhile, the Congress MLAs inside the Odisha Assembly created a ruckus near the speaker Surama Padhy’s podium over growing crime against women in the state. The Congress members, holding placards, raised slogans demanding security for women and protection against atrocities and crimes in the state.
