Bhubaneswar: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today criticised the Odisha government for allegedly trying to cover-up the Kunduli gang rape and subsequent suicide incident.
Addressing a presser here on Sunday, Pradhan reiterated for a CBI probe into the incident as attempts are being made to distort facts and evidences in the case.
The Union Minister further stated that if the state government has no confidence in the CBI it could also go for a court-monitored inquiry by a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
“It is believed that the Kunduli victim had written a suicide note in which she had mentioned about her ordeal in detail. But where that note has gone? Even she had stated that DG also offered her Rs 90,000 to keep mum and everybody knows about it," said Pradhan.
Pradhan said it is not a political issue as people across Odisha have started to raise voice against such injustice. Besides, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is yet to review the case even after 100 days of the incident.
The Chief Minister must resign on moral grounds for his incapability to provide security to the women in the State, Pradhan added.
Reacting to Pradhan's allegations, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said, “We strongly condemn the allegations brought in by the BJP. The government is not trying to shield any culprits. Neither the government has given clean chit to anyone nor has the investigation concluded.”
Deb stated that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered judicial inquiry into the incident and if the BJP does not have faith on the state government and an inquiry by a sitting judge, it should approach Union Home Ministry for an internal departmental inquiry as involvement of CRPF is being alleged.