Bhubaneswar: The opposition BJD and Congress on Friday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Odisha government, alleging that it has failed to protect women despite its stated policy of “zero tolerance” towards sexual offences. The opposition argued that the people of the state expect zero incidents, not just tough statements.
The debate was triggered by the alleged sexual abuse of three minor girls—aged between six and eight—from a village under MV-79 police station in Malkangiri district. The incident found strong mention in the Assembly, with both opposition parties accusing the government of mishandling sensitive cases.
Congress MLA Ashok Das said the government was “highly insensitive” and believed that merely registering FIRs and arresting accused persons amounted to justice.
“If arrests alone could solve the problem, why are rape cases rising? Between June 2024 and July 2025, Odisha registered 2,933 rapes and 8,270 kidnappings. Heinous crimes continue unabated,” Das said.
He criticised the ruling BJP for frequently blaming past governments instead of taking responsibility.
“We never claimed no rapes happened earlier. But you cannot hide behind the past while committing the same mistakes today,” he said. Das added that the public demands zero incidents, not just a zero-tolerance slogan.
BJD MLA Goutam Buddha Das also tore into the government, citing instances—including one from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s home district, Keonjhar—where arrests were allegedly delayed.
“The government is desperately trying to cover up its inefficiencies in rape cases,” he alleged, adding that police officers were overburdened with VIP duties and unable to properly investigate crimes.
Malkangiri MLA Mangu Khila said crimes against women were occurring at alarming frequency in his district. “There is no genuine attempt to stop these incidents,” he said.
However, the ruling BJP countered the accusations. MLAs Babu Singh and Irasis Acharya accused the opposition of politicising crimes to tarnish Odisha’s image.
Replying on behalf of Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan rejected all allegations. He said the Malkangiri incident involved a 48-year-old man who allegedly misbehaved with three minor girls on November 23.
“An FIR was filed on November 25. Police registered a POCSO case, collected forensic samples, recorded statements, and arrested the accused on November 26,” he said, asserting that women’s safety remained a top priority for the government.
Harichandan said crimes against women had actually declined since the BJP came to power last year, citing a 3.3% fall in rape cases, 66.7% drop in acid attacks, and 20.6% dip in dowry-related crimes.
He further informed the House that more than 9,000 police and fire service personnel had been recruited in 15 months, all 649 police stations now have women and child desks, and 71 child-friendly police stations along with 24 special POCSO courts are operational statewide.
