Opposition attacks Odisha government over Daringibadi shame

BHUBANESWAR: Opposition political parties BJP and Congress on Monday came down heavily on the State Government over the incident in which a Class VIII student delivered a baby in the hostel of a residential school at Daringibadi in Kandhamal district.

Training guns on the BJD Government, Congress demanded resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and SC/ST Development Minister Ramesh Majhi over the incident.

“The CM should step down by taking moral responsibility and ask the tribal welfare Minister to resign immediately over the issue,” president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik told mediapersons here. Alleging that many such incidents have happened during the 18-year rule of BJD in the State, Patnaik said this is a clear reflection of failure of the Government.

Raising serious concern over the security of girl students in SC/ST department-run residential schools, a BJP delegation met Governor Ganeshi Lal and submitted a memorandum seeking direction to the State Government for taking stern action against officials for dereliction of duties.

As per Government rules, health check-up of girl students of residential schools and tribal hostels is mandatory every month. It seems the school authority and district administration have given a go-by to these rules, said president of BJP Scheduled Tribe Morcha Rabi Nayak .

The BJP MLA also demanded action against Kandhamal Collector and Secretary of ST and SC Development department for their failure to ensure implementation of guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) prescribed by the Government for safety and security of girl students.

Nayak said a delegation of BJP’s ST cell will visit the spot to conduct a probe and submit a report to the Governor. “It is a matter of great concern as the school authorities have remained silent over the incident. Violence against women have agonised people; what does the CM, who talks about women security, has to say now?” tweeted Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Condemning the incident, senior leader Damodar Rout alleged that women are not safe under the BJD rule. Neither the administrative officials nor political leaders are concerned over the rise in crime against women in the State, he said.