New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The Congress on Friday questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with regards to the alleged sexual assault of the fiancée of a serving Army officer at Bharatpur police station in Odisha capital.
“The PM is absolutely silent. The BJP rightfully protested (against the rape-murder of junior doctor) in West Bengal. What about Odisha now? Are you going to keep quite? You don’t want to speak about Badlapur, UP and Bihar, any place where the BJP is in power,” Congress leader Supriya Shrinate told a presser.
Shrinate said that the incident took place within a few days of BJP government coming to power in the state. “PM Modi was in Odisha where he spoke about how empowerment of women will be the key mantra of Odisha’s development and within 72 hours of his visit, we have a gruesome case coming from Odisha. A self-employed woman who runs a restaurant and engaged to an Indian Army officer, who works in the Sikh Regiment, was going back home when some catcalling and eve-teasing happened. She went to the nearest police station. Instead of helping her out, police tied her hands and feet, a male police officer came and disrobed herm, took off her undergarments, kicked her on the breast, and make obscene gestures. This is how safe our women are?” she asked.
The Congress leader accused the PM of doing petty politics over atrocities against women. “He should apologise to women of the country with folded hands. We demand that safety of women be made a priority,” she said.
Also Read: Odisha ‘Custody Torture’ Case: CM Assures Stern Action, Deputy CM Summons DCP
Shrinate further stated that the National Commission for Women (NCW) should stop playing the role of frontal organisation of the BJP. “They only look into crimes against women in opposition-ruled states, and pay no cognisance to those in BJP-ruled states. Nothing can be expected from either NCW or SCW. Women of the country are watching these atrocities and barbarism on them. They will teach the government a lesson” she said.
Notably, NCW, taking suo motu cognisance of the incident, has sought an action taken report from DG Odisha in the matter.
Also Read: Odisha ‘Custody Torture’ Case: SCW Takes Suo Motu Cognisance, Begins Probe
Meanwhile, women’s rights activists held a dharna outside the Police Bhavan in Bhubaneswar on Friday, calling for the arrest of the accused officers. They expressed outrage over the police’s alleged misconduct and demanded justice for the victim.
