**Bhubaneswar: ** Soon after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday condoled the death of Salepur minor rape victim in the ongoing Budget Session of Assembly and also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the victim’s kin besides assurance of stern punishment to the accused, main opposition Congress vehemently criticised the State Government for deteriorating law and order and increasing number of rapes of minor girls in the State.
Senior Congress MLA Dr Prafulla Majhi burst, “Raising the deteriorating law and order situation and mainly the spurt in rapes of minor girls in the State, we had stalled the House demanding the Chief Minister’s statement as he also holds the Home portfolio. But when the minor rape victim expired, the Chief Minister all of a sudden announced Rs 5 lakh compensation. Is it an incident to reap benefits and earn laurels? Is the State Government politically motivated?”
“When the Government is claiming that the law and order situation is good in the State, it didn’t keep any statement as per our demand amid the four such rapes in a single day including this. Today when the rape victim expired, the Chief Minister put forth his statement. Let’s see how the people of Odisha accept it,” the Congress MLA fumed.
On the contrary, senior BJD MLA Dr Raseswari Panigrahi defended, “It is indeed a sensational incident and very sorrowful. Realising it, the hon’ble Chief Minister has expressed his extreme sorrow in the House. He has assured stringent action against the accused. Action has already been initiated. For the time being, Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia has been extended.”
“Those who are criticizing Rs 5 lakh compensation as a measly amount for the loss of a precious life, are doing just for opposition sake. Where were the critics earlier? Whatever warrants to be done, the State Government is definitely doing and will keep on doing as per the need of the hour. Efforts are also simultaneously on to maintain law and order situation in the State,” the BJD MLA averred.
Notably, the 6-yr-old rape survivor from Salepur died on Sunday evening after struggling for life for more than a week at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack city.
The minor rape victim was on ventilator support ever since she had been admitted to the trauma care ICU in the Paediatric Ward of SCB Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition.
On April 21, the girl had been found unconscious in a school compound in Salepur area of Cuttack district. She had initially been rushed to a hospital in Salepur and later had been shifted to the SCB.
**Also Read:** [Odisha CM Announces Rs 5 Lakh Ex-Gratia To Kin Of Salepur Rape Victim, Stern Punishment To Accused](https://www.ommcomnews.com/public/odisha-cm-announces-rs-5-lakh-ex-gratia-to-kin-of-salepur-rape-victim-stern-punishment-to-accused)
**Also Read:** [Odisha Man Attempts To Rape Showing Obscene Video To Minor, Arrested](https://www.ommcomnews.com/public/odisha-man-attempts-to-rape-showing-obscene-video-to-minor-arrested-)
