Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President Naveen Patnaik has expressed deep concern over the shocking incident of abduction and alleged gang rape of a minor girl in Khordha’s Baghmari area. Terming the case “extremely sensitive and heartbreaking,” Patnaik said such crimes have no place in a civilised society.
The BJD President also condemned another disturbing incident reported from Arangi village in Bhadrak, where a young woman was allegedly beaten publicly by members of a Self Help Group (SHG) over repayment of a loan instalment. Patnaik described the act as “completely unacceptable and inhuman.”
Naveen Patnaik stated that during the BJD government, Mission Shakti transformed the lives of lakhs of women, empowering them socially and economically. However, he alleged that under the current BJP government, women in Odisha feel increasingly insecure and vulnerable.
He further remarked that the rise in incidents of violence and sexual crimes against women across the state has deeply disturbed the public. Women were climbing the ladder of success earlier. Today, fear and insecurity dominate. Development has slowed down and law-and-order failures are directly affecting women’s safety,” Patnaik said.
The former Chief Minister urged the Odisha government to “wake up from its slumber” and take immediate and strict action against all those involved in these incidents. He demanded the harshest possible punishment for the accused and strong measures to restore a sense of safety among women.
