BJP Trying To Rake Up Kunduli Issue For Bijepur Bypoll: BJD

Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday said the demand of the BJP for a CBI probe into Kunduli suicide is nothing but a poll gimmick.

“The BJP is trying its best to rake up the Kunduli suicide case only to take mileage in the ensuing byelection to Bijepur assembly constituency in Odisha’s Bargarh district. Besides, the saffron party has also demanded a CBI probe into the incident. The state government has assured an impartial probe into it,” BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb told a press conference here.

Reacting to the BJP’s demand for a CBI probe into Kunduli case, he said the people of Odisha know very well about the outcome of the CBI probe into 2014 schoolteacher Itishree Pradhan murder case in Rayagada.

Referring to the assertion of the BJP leader and Union Oil and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan that the state government has given a clean chit to the Central para-military force on the gang rape of the minor girl, Deb said if the state government is lying on the issue let the Union Home ministry institute a probe.

Stating that the Kunduli incident has no connection with the Anjana Mishra gangrape case in 1999, the BJD leader said while resentment is brewing against the BJP government at the Centre across the country, the party in Odisha has been harping on Kunduli incident since it has no other issues.

Taking a dig at the Centre, he said the stance taken by the BJP government on the contentious Mahanadi issue clearly reflects its step-motherly attitude towards Odisha.

Earlier in the day, Pradhan, at a press conference alleged that the state government is trying to destroy the Kunduli rape incident.

Raising apprehension over the fresh investigation by the Crime Branch, Pradhan said the police and the entire government machinery are trying to destroy the evidence relating to this incident. He also sought explanation from the Chief Minister on the missing of the suicide note of the minor rape victim.

The Union minister further said that though the victim had told the media that the state Director General of Police (DGP) had offered her cash worth Rs 90,000, no action was taken against him.

“if the Chief Minister has any moral responsibility, he should immediately recommend a CBI probe into the incident to give justice to the victim’s family,” he maintained.

On Saturday, the Chief Minister had assured that the Kunduli girl will get ‘justice’ and his government is serious about the incident.

“It’s a tragic incident. We are doing all that we can to investigate the matter thoroughly,” he had said while speaking on the sidelines of the launching ceremony of the ‘The Tall Man Biju Patnaik’, a pictorial biography of the legendary politician, in Mumbai.