People feeling 'unsafe' during festivities, BJP failing to maintain law and order in Odisha: Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, Oct 7 (PTI) BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday claimed that the people of Odisha were not feeling safe during the ongoing festive season due to multiple incidents and accused the BJP government of completely failing to maintain the law and order in the state.

Patnaik, the leader of opposition in the state assembly, highlighted incidents of violence in Cuttack during Durga idol immersion, killing of a prominent lawyer in Berhampur on the day of Lakshmi Puja, rape of a woman in Rourkela and hooliganism in a bus in Puri district in the last two-three days.

"People are feeling unsafe amid the festive atmosphere in the state," Patnaik said in a social media post.

He also condoled the death of lawyer Pitabas Panda, who was also a BJP leader, in Berhampur on Monday night.

He said the killing of Panda, who was shot near his house, has spread panic among the people.

"Similarly, the rape in Rourkela, the unfortunate incident inside the passenger bus in Puri's Kanas, and communal situation in the city of brotherhood, Cuttack, is very worrying," Patnaik added.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who is also the in-charge of the Home Department, expressed grief over the murder of Panda and directed the police to ensure exemplary punishment for the culprits.

Majhi said there was no place for violence in a peaceful state like Odisha.

Panda was also a member of the State Bar Council and an RTI activist.

Patnaik also expressed concern over the frequent postponement and cancellation of the recruitment examinations, which he said, has broken the morale of youths.

He said that irregularities in the recruitment process for the police sub-inspector post proves the state administration's inability to maintain transparency and accountability in government recruitment.

"The BJP government has completely failed to strengthen law and order in peaceful Odisha; which is creating an atmosphere of fear among the people," the BJD president said.

"The government must be prompt and vigilant for the interests of the people," he added.

BJD leader Bhrugu Baxipatra said that when the BJP government could not protect the life of its own leader, how could common people expect anything from it.

He claimed that Ganjam witnessed 128 murders in the last 15 months since BJP came to power in Odisha, including three in the district in the last 24 hours.

"Women, students and girls have become increasingly unsafe. Incidents of rape, molestation, domestic violence, and murder are making daily headlines. Yet the government remains busy in self-promotion and propaganda," Baxipatra said in a press conference.

Senior Congress leader Debashis Nayak, in another press conference, attacked the state's BJP government over the "deteriorating" law and order and demanded the resignation of Majhi as the home minister.

State BJP president Manmohan Samal also condemned the brutal murder of Panda and said the chief minister has directed the police to take prompt and exemplary action against culprits.

"Panda's murder is a loss for the party and the society. We condemn it," Samal added.

CPI(M) state secretary Suresh Chandra Panigrahy said, "The murder of senior advocate Pitabas Panda in Berhampur and statewide fear of violence is deeply concerning." PTI AAM AAM ACD