Odisha BJP to hold Satyagraha on December 26 against 'criminalisation of politics, violence against women'

BHUBANESWAR: BJP leaders on Saturday announced that the party will organise Satyagraha on December 26 across the state protesting criminalisation of politics and violence against women. Party workers will stage Satyagraha at block level. BJD dubbed this announcement as cheap politics.
BJP state president Samir Mohanty at a press conference here said Odisha is known as a peaceful state, but the BJD-led government’s 23-year administration has patronised criminalisation of politics.Several MLAs, ministers and ruling party leaders are involved in criminal activities like murder and violence against women, he added.
He alleged that BJD leaders are involved in many criminal cases. “Key accused in the Mamita Meher murder case was killed in jail. We know the involvement of former minister of state for home Dibya Shankar Mishra. In the Mahanga murder case, former minister Pratap Jena was involved. School and mass education minister Samir Ranjan Dash’s name came in the Nimapada zilla parishad member murder case,” he added.
Mohanty said a girl was murdered in Nayagarh district. “This incident exposed the BJD and its leader, former minister Arun Kumar Sahoo. BJD leaders know how to destroy evidence of a crime. Due to the anti-women attitude of the ruling party, Odisha comes within top five states reporting cases related to violence against women,” he added.
The BJP state president said his party condemned the criminalisation of politics and rising violence against women cases in the state. “To protest this, our party workers will sit near statues of different great personalities at block level for four hours on December 26. We appeal to the common people to participate in the Satyagraha,” he added.
BJD spokesperson Ipsita Sahu lashed out at BJP for playing cheap politics. “BJD is celebrating its 25th foundation day on December 26. BJP chose the December 26 date to stage a protest against the party on five sensitive issues. They could not get any other issues for their protest. BJP can bring false allegations, but it does not have guts to submit evidence before the court,” she added.
She said Odisha people reject the BJP every time due to their false and baseless allegations and cheap politics.