Bhubaneswar: In a stinging attack on the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over the condition of women in Odisha, opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday claimed that atrocities against women in the state are highest in the country.
Addressing a press meet in Bhubaneswar, state BJP general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar accused the ruling BJD of exploiting women in every possible form and perpetrating atrocities on them.
“Women are being used by BJD for its vote bank. The ruling party is using them to hide its failure in all spheres during the last 23 years,” she claimed.
Alleging that many BJD leaders including Ministers are involved in exploiting women, Samantsinghar said people of the state are well aware of the true colours of the ruling party.
Dubbing BJD as the centre of all forms of atrocities against women, she alleged that the Chief Minister has been protecting party leaders involved in crimes against women.
Coming down heavily on BJD leaders, she claimed that the ruling party has been misleading people in the name of empowerment of women. BJD leaders are not only indulging in rampant exploitation of women but also trying to tarnish the image of opposition political parties by making false and baseless charges, Samantsinghar claimed.
The BJP leader further claimed that the members of women Self Help Groups (SHGs) are also being exploited by BJD leaders and said the ruling party is now being controlled entirely by some bureaucrats.
The ruling BJD, on the other hand, hit back at BJP accusing the saffron party of not working for the empowerment of women.
Addressing a press meet, BJD spokesperson Shrimayee Mishra claimed that BJP leaders have been insulting women members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) by making humiliating remarks.
As SHG and Mission Shakti movement has emerged as an effective instrument for empowerment of women, BJP leaders are unable to accept it and, therefore, they are making false claims, she said.
