Bhubaneswar: The Odisha assembly witnessed chaotic scenes on Thursday, as members of oppposition Congress blew whistles as a mark of protest against “rising crimes against women across the state” after the BJP came to power last year.
The demonstration by the Congress legislators started moments after an obituary reference over the demise of former MLA Debaraj Seth of the Sonepur assembly segment. Seth, 84, passed away on Wednesday.
Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, Congress Legislature Party Leader Rama Chandra Kadam were among the members who paid tributes to the departed legislator, as the House observed a one-minute silence.
Soon after, the Congress MLAs rushed to the Well of the House, holding placards and raising slogans against the state government. They demanded a statement from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi over the “rising crimes against women”.
Unable to continue the proceedings, Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the House till 12 noon.
The Congress MLAs later staged a sit-in near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the assembly premises.
“It is the responsibility of the government to bring normalcy in the House, but the BJP has utterly failed in this regard,” Opposition Chief Whip and senior BJD member Pramila Mallik said.
The Congress has been protesting over the issue of alleged rise in crimes against women in the state since the beginning of the second phase of the budget session, which began on March 7.
Meanwhile, the Congress MLAs said that they will continue their protest in the state Assembly till the speaker forms a House committee to probe alleged rising atrocities against women and girls in the state.
Holding a press conference here, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam said 44,824 women and children went missing in Odisha over the past four years (2020 to 2024), as per information given by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi himself in the state assembly.
At least 11 Congress MLAs including Kadam attended the press conference.
“Such a huge number of people are missing. At the same time, it was also reported that minor school-going girls have become pregnant…,” Kadam said.
During the last nine-month rule of the BJP government, more than 1,800 cases of atrocities against women were registered in Odisha, he said, adding, “It shows that women and girls are not safe in the state. So, we have been fighting for their rights and safety for the past several days.”
“We will continue our protest demanding the formation of a House committee to probe such cases,” he said.
The Congress has been protesting over the issue of the alleged rise in crimes against women in the state since the beginning of the second phase of the budget session on March 7. The party has also announced to gherao the state assembly on March 27.
When asked about their demand for an Assembly panel, Bahinipati said, “We demand for formation of a committee because a panel having members from all parties will make field visits to some places where atrocities against women/girls are reported and investigate the incidents.”
Later, after holding consultation with experts, the panel will recommend the government for a strong law to give capital punishment to culprits in sensitive crime against women cases, he suggested.
