Bhubaneswar: In the backdrop of the recent 'political murder' of two BJP leaders in Mahanga of Cuttack district, party MP and national spokesperson Aparajita Sarangi on Monday lashed out at the BJD-led Odisha government for sitting mute even as the State witnessed several such political killings in the recent past.
While condemning the brutal murder of Kulamani Baral and his associate Dibyasingh Baral of Mahanga, the Bhubaneswar MP accused the BJD workers of unleashing such violence in the State.
She said that the State saw 17 cases related to political murder in the recent past, but there is no headway in the investigation, Sarangi said, adding that she will review the status of investigation into all these cases within 15 days.
"There were 17 political murders that Odisha witnessed in the recent past, which include the killing of Kulamani Baral and Dibyasingh. During last Panchayat polls, as many as 14 BJP workers were murdered due to political reasons. During the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, one of the top leaders- Manguli Jena of Jankia area under my constituency was also killed," she said.
The MP alleged that all these ghastly crimes were executed by the workers of the ruling BJD in quest of power. “As a citizen of Odisha, I have the responsibility to review the status of investigations in all these 17 political murder cases in the State. I will do that within the next 15 days. I will find out the reason that why charge-sheets have not been filed in all these cases," she maintained.
Coming down heavily on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who holds the Home Department, the parliamentarian said the CM has utterly failed to ensure safety and security of citizens even though it is his prime responsibility as the head of the Home department.
She claimed that the State, as per National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), has secured second position in cases related to violence against women which is on the rise. Still, Odisha government is shedding crocodile tears for the women and claimed to have committed for their honour and safety, Sarangi flayed.
"As many as 17,200 cases were reported in 2015 in the State while the figure went up to 17800 in 2016 and 20,000 in 2017. In 2018, the State witnessed 20, 274 cases of women violence. It is a matter of great surprise, the figure jumped to 23,183 in 2019 as per the National Crime Record Bureau," she explained.
The MP further said that these types of political killings take place in West Bengal. But, it is a matter of great concern that such crimes have started happening now in the land of Lord Jagannath. "Are we going West Bengal way?" she asked.
BJD, on the other hand, rubbished the allegations of Sarangi. BJD spokesperson Chinmay Sahoo said that there is no mention of political murder in Odisha in the NCRB report.
"Odisha always follows the zero tolerance policy in cases of any violence. Not a single political murder has taken place in Odisha as per the report of NCRB. Such violence takes place in the States ruled by the party which has levelled such allegation against Odisha," Sahoo said.
He further said that BJD always follows zero tolerance to crime. "Law will take its own course and action will be taken against the culprits," he added.