BHUBANESWAR: After a double murder rocked Cuttack on Wednesday, the BJD lashed out at the state government for what it called an alarming law and order situation.
Addressing a media conference here, BJD’s Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra said recurrence of such incidents during the last 18 months of BJP rule has damaged the image of the state at the national as well as international level.
Patra warned that if the law and order situation did not improve, it would affect development of the state and this has become evident during the last 18 months.
The Rajya Sabha member said, 40 947 cases of crime against women have been registered in the state in the last 18 months which points at the extent of collapse of the law and order situation. Several high profile crimes including gangrape at Gopalpur and Dhauli, gangrape and murder of a minor in Bhadrak have taken place during the period. Though the Home portfolio is with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the double engine government of the state has failed to ensure the safety of women, he added.
Patra pointed out that during the period, revenue from major minerals fell from Rs 50,000 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 34,000 crore in 2024-25. Similarly, revenue from minor minerals dropped from `1,485 crore to `600 crore during the period, he claimed.
Media coordinator Lenin Mohanty said tourist spots have become unsafe for women, leading to a decline in tourist arrivals. “After several gangrape incidents at tourist sites, the US issued a travel advisory warning that Odisha is not a safe place for women and cautioned its citizens from travelling in the state, further tarnishing Odisha’s image worldwide,” he added.