Bhubaneswar, March 19 The Odisha Legislative Assembly on Wednesday witnessed uproar by members of the opposition Congress over the demand for the constitution of a House committee on the issue of women's safety.
The party has been alleging that atrocities on women have increased in the state under the BJP government during the last eight months.
Amidst the pandemonium, Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the House first till noon and later till 4 p.m.
The Congress MLAs later staged a protest near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the Assembly premises.
Speaking to media persons, the Congress Legislature Party leader in Odisha Assembly, Rama Chandra Kadam said, “The reports published in various newspapers expose the pathetic condition of the women in the state. The mothers in the state are not safe. The law-and-order situation has completely collapsed in Odisha. After the current BJP government came to power the situation has deteriorated further. We demand the formation of a House committee for discussion on the safety of women.”
Kadam asserted that the Congress party will continue its protest till the government forms a House committee on the women's safety issues.
He also said the party will stage a gherao of the Odisha Assembly on the issue on March 27.
Senior Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati stated that a House committee of Vidhan Sabha comprising legislators from all the political parties should be formed to probe and discuss various details related to incidents of crime against women.
He also noted that the Congress party has been demanding the enactment of a law ensuring stringent punishment for those found guilty in women atrocity cases. ]
“The government has presented its reply on the issue of atrocities on women being raised by the Congress party during the discussions on an adjournment motion on Tuesday. Then, what was the need for staging a protest on the issue today as well,” questioned BJP MLA Irasis Acharya.
He alleged that the opposition Congress and Biju Janata Dal were disrupting the House without any valid reasons and only for their political interests.
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