With Biju Janata Dal (BJD) celebrating its foundation anniversary on Sunday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a letter to CM campaign against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while accusing him of playing a double standard role in ensuring safety of women and girls from crimes in the State.
Pointing out the increasing cases of crime against women, BJP party leaders and workers visited 8,900 post offices across the State to post letters addressed to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
“Being a responsible Opposition party, we will continue our agitation to wake up Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik from deep slumber. During the BJD’s rule, women are unsafe. Every day four women are being raped and six are being kidnapped in the State. In case of Anjana Mishra case in 1999, Naveen Patnaik, who was then the Opposition leader, had lodged an FIR in Cuttack and demanded the scalp of Janaki Ballabh Patnaik. In case of Pari case, Mahanga murder case, ACF Soumyaranjan Mohapatra death case and Mamita Meher murder case, the same Naveen Patnaik is playing a double standard role,” said general secretary of BJP, Lekhashree Samantsinghara, who among others thronged Bhubaneswar Railway station post office to drop the letters.
Bhubaneswar District BJP President Babu Singh said, “People are well aware of the fact that the CM is playing a double standard. The people of the State have already decided to teach their party a lesson.”
In his reaction, BJP leader Dillip Mallick said that the women and children are unsafe during Naveen Patnaik’s rule. The party’s claim of achieving development is nothing but hollow.
President of BJP’s OBC cell Surath Biswal said that BJD leaders are involved in all murders and rape cases. The people are becoming aware of this. They would give the party a befitting reply in coming days.
Some saffron party leaders and workers visited Buxi Bazaar post office in Cuttack to drop letters to the CM. Cuttack Nagar BJP president Lalatendu Badu said, “The CM had taken action against so many ministers in past. Why he is silent when it comes to taking action against the Minister of State for Home for his alleged involvement in Mamita Meher murder case. We will continue our agitation till action against the Minister of State for Home Dibyashankar Mishra."
“We demand the CM should speak something regarding Mamita Meher murder case. In case of Anjana Mishra case, he had demanded the scalp of Janaki Ballabh Patnaik. Why is he maintaining silence in case of Mamita Meher murder case? He should take action against Minister of State for Home Dibyashankar Mishra or resign on moral grounds,” BJP Mahila Morcha secretary Kalpana Patnaik observed.
“The Chief Minister has been claiming that ‘Maa Ku Samman’ (respect to mothers) is the party’s motto. If respect to mothers is being emphasised, why are their daughters unsafe. In last five years, 27,000 minor girls were kidnapped. Is it not a matter of shame? Why the CM is looking the other way,” she pointed out.
However, the BJD is yet to reply over the allegations.