Hundreds of BJP Mahila Morcha activists on Wednesday held a rally and tried to gherao the Naveen Niwas here demanding justice for the Puri gangrape victim and resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Even as police courted-arrest many of them midway, still many others managed to reach the Chief Minister’s residence. Shouting anti-Government slogans for rise in cases of atrocities against women, the activists wanted to know why fast track courts aren’t being set up in the State for speedy trial of sexual assault cases. They demanded stringent action against all the culprits who gang-raped the minor girl in police quarters in Puri on December 1.
Alleging that criminals are committing heinous crimes against women with ruling party leaders, Mahila Morcha State president Prativa Parida wanted to know why the Chief Minister is silent when six to seven rape cases are happening in the State every day. The Chief Minister should resign forthwith taking moral responsibility over the incident.
Among others, former Minister Surama Padhi, Niyati Giri, Sushama Biswal, Kasturi Mishra, Pinki Pradhan, Rashmirekha Das, Pratibha Satpathy, Subasini Prushti, Mandakini Patra, Shashi Ratha, Madhushmita Khuntia, Jajnaseni Jena and Kalpana Patnaik were present.