BHUBANESWAR : The Opposition BJD and Congress on Monday came down heavily on the government over increasing crime in the state while raising the issue of the murder of a BJP leader in broad daylight in Ganjam district, and clash of local public with police at Bharatpur near the capital city on Sunday.
Stating that murder, crimes against women and other such incidents are taking place regularly in Odisha during the last nine months, deputy leader of the BJD legislature party Prasanna Acharya said the government has lost control over the situation. Maintaining law and order and preventing crime seems to be no longer the priority of the police, it is more focused on stopping Opposition MLAs from entering the Assembly, forcefully removing them from the House and assaulting them, he said.
“The situation has deteriorated because of political interference. In every incident, the BJP leaders are putting pressure on the police. Police have lost their independence and their ability to maintain law and order,” he alleged.
Leader of the Congress legislature party (CLP) Ramachandra Kadam also criticised the police for failing to ensure security of common citizens.
The BJP, however, strongly refuted the allegations. Party MLA Amar Nayak said BJD leaders should not talk about law and order situation as everybody knows how police functioned during the last 24 years when the regional party was in power.
“BJD ministers and leaders were involved in several cases of crime but no action was taken against them. On the other hand, police have been given all freedom by the BJP government,” he said.