Bhubaneswar: Hitting out at the opposition parties, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday said Congress and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLAs are not in a position to see the positive changes taking place during the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state.
While replying the debate on the budgetary demand of the Home department in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said it would have been good had the opposition members participated in the discussion.
Notably, all the 14 Congress legislators have been suspended from the Assembly for seven days for indiscipline and unruly behaviour, while BJD MLAs had staged a walkout in the House when the CM presented his reply.
Stating that his government always believed in debate, discussion and deliberations, Majhi said it would have been very fruitful had the opposition members participated in the Home department’s discussion as these reflect the hopes and aspirations of people.
Taking a dig at Congress for attacking the government over women issues, the Chief Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi always gives priority to women’s security. “Our government is also giving high priority to the safety of women. Our effort has seen significant rise in the rate of conviction in red-flag cases,” he said.
Majhi asserted that crime against women and children during our nine-month period has significantly declined in comparison to the corresponding period of the previous government
“Congress need not teach us women’s security,” the CM said, adding, “Can they cite any specific case which the government has not taken seriously and extended political patronisation?’
The Chief Minister said his government is taking all initiatives for modernising the police force. Police stations are being provided with all modern gadgets to efficient operations and quick detection of crimes. Emergency support system is being executed to meet exigencies.
Stating that his government always believed in policy of “zero tolerance,” the CM said the crime investigation and charge-sheeting of accused have gathered faster pace leading to high conviction rate.
Majhi also took a swipe at his predecessor Naveen Patnaik for his continuous absence in the ongoing Assembly session. Without taking the name of Naveen, the CM said, “When he was Chief Minister of the state, he was not visible in the House. The same trend continues now. There was time when we had launched a search operation for him by carrying lanterns in our hands.”
Attacking Naveen Patnaik for not attending his grievance cell for 16 years, the Chief Minister claimed that he has already heard over nine thousand cases of which 83 per cent have been successfully disposed of.
