Mahila Congress State president Sumitra Jena on Monday demanded that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik resign taking moral responsibility for the Sohela rape incident or else her party would gherao the Naveen Niwas on February 14.
“The Chief Minister is in the charge of the Home Department. While rape and other cases of violence against women are on the rise, he should either resign as Chief Minister or hand over the Home responsibilities to any other person in his Ministry. If he doesn’t meet our demand, the Mahila Congress will gherao the Naveen Niwas by February 14 evening,” Jena told a Press conference.
Jena also demanded that the accused ASI Banamali Kuanar of Sohela police station and Rinku Nayak, who had brought the girl to Kuanar’s residence, be arrested and sent to jail forthwith. She further alleged that Nayak was a BJD worker.
Former Finance Minister Pranchanan Kanungo, who was present at the Press meet, said Kanyashrams (girls’ hostels) have now turned into centres of unmarried mothers.
