BJD condemns Odisha CM's phone conservation video with survivor being made public

Bhubaneswar, Oct 15 (PTI) The Biju Janata Dal on Wednesday raised strong objections over Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi's phone conversation video with the Durgapur gang rape victim being made public.

Senior leaders of Biju Mahila Janata Dal (BMJD), the women's wing of the BJD, at a press conference here, alleged that making the video of the telephone conversation public violates the Supreme Court guidelines.

"The BJD strongly condemns the CM's action of making the video of his conversation with the victim public. The party also deeply condemns attempts to politicise this incident," BJD senior general secretary Lekhasri Samantsinghar said.

The BJD leaders were reacting to a video of the CM making a phone call to the rape survivor on Monday evening from his office in Bhubaneswar. In the video, it was shown that Majhi was talking to the survivor over the phone and giving her assurance that the state government was with her and justice would be done. He also enquired about her health and talked about continuation of her MBBS studies. When PTI contacted the CMO, it clarified that the Supreme Court guideline restricts the disclosure of the identity of a rape victim. "This is not a video call. It was an audio call. There's no mention of the victim's name, either or any other information on her identity. The video is open in the media for study. Therefore, no violation of any guideline of the Supreme Court," the CMO said.

The CMO also argued that Majhi instead boosted the morale of the rape survivor through his conversation and encouraged her to gain patience and face the situation with courage.

Earlier in the day, at a press conference, BJD general secretary Tukuni Sahu condemned the Durgapur incident and alleged that the chief minister has shown no concern for the victims of such crimes in Odisha.

"While the incident in West Bengal is indeed deplorable and painful, the manner in which Chief Minister Mohan Majhi made the recording of his conversation with the victim public is even more condemnable," Sahu said.

BMJD general secretary Sumitra Jena said: "As per Supreme Court guidelines, the victim’s identity or any conversation with her should not be made public. Hence, by circulating the recording through media, the CM has violated the apex court's guidelines." BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo claimed that the chief minister remained silent all along when a number of women were raped in Odisha. "The CM's sudden sympathy in the West Bengal case is purely politically motivated," Deo alleged.

Though both the State and National Women's Commissions have met the victim in West Bengal, they have never shown such promptness in similar cases in Odisha.

"It is unfortunate that instead of ensuring justice for victims, the BJP and the state government are politicising their pain," Deo said.

Samantsinghar said that the way BJP leaders, including Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi, rushed to West Bengal to meet the victim felt like a scene of "rape tourism".

She said that it is a fact that the law and order situation in West Bengal is poor, but the situation in Odisha is even worse. "Women in Odisha, too, are increasingly unsafe. In this context, the chief minister's actions are highly condemnable," she said.

Meanwhile, in another press conference, Odisha BJP Mahila Morcha president Aishwarya Biswal termed the medico's gang rape at Durgapur as a "shame".

She condemned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's statement on women and girls going outside the house at night.

"Mamata Banerjee's statement is highly condemnable. As a woman, Mamata Banerjee's comments against women are indecent behaviour...", she said. PTI AAM AAM RG