Assembly stalled again over minor girls’ rape

| | BHUBANESWAR | in Bhubaneswar

The State Assembly once again witnessed frequent adjournments over rise in rape cases of minor girls as Opposition Congress and BJP members kept demanding a statement from Chief Minister Naveen Patanik on the issue on Monday.

As the House met, the Congress and the BJP members rushed into the Well of the House and kept shouting over failure of the State Government to provide security to girls and women, who are constantly made victims of sexual harassment and rape, and demanded a statement from the Chief Minister on the steps taken by his Government to contain the situation.

Unable to run the House, Speaker Pradeep Kumar Amat adjourned the proceedings till 11.30 am.

When the House reassembled, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said the rape incidents continue to rise in the State now. “As many as four minor girls were raped in one day on Sunday. Such incidents are rising while the victims are not getting justice. Even as in some cases, the victims are committing suicides, the State Government sits silent. It seems that the law and order situation has deteriorated and there is prevalence of rule of jungle in the State,” alleged Mishra.

Stating that the Chief Minster has not given satisfactory replies to questions put by the Opposition on rape incidences, he demanded that the Chief Minister make a statement in the House.

Thereafter, BJP member Rabi Narayan Naik made the same demand.

However, Government Chief Whip Amar Prasad Satpathy refuted the charges of inactions by police and the Government and said the issue can be broadly discussed during the Home Department’s demand discussion on April 26 and members can put questions and get replies from the Chief Minister on the day. Hence, Opposition members should not create ruckus in the House now, Satpathy said.

However, the Opposition members trooped into the Well again and kept shouting slogans. The Speaker adjourned the House at 11.46 am till 12.50 pm and, as the situation remained unaltered, again till 3 pm.

However, normalcy returned during afternoon hours when Demands for Grants for Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment and the Cooperation Department were discussed. Expenditures of Rs 4718, 12, 42,000 and 1165,46,85,00 relating to the two respective departments were passed following discussions.