State BJP Mahila Morcha members took out a red bangles rally called ‘Lal Churi Abhiyan’ and marched towards Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s residence here on Monday alleging failure of the BJD Government in providing justice to the Pipili gangrape and murder victim.
Besides, the agitators alleged that the Odisha Government has failed to provide security to women in the State.
Hundreds of members of the State BJP’s women wing, carrying bundles of red bangles marched towards the Naveen Niwas from their party headquarters demanding a CBI inquiry into the Pipili case and protested the rising incidents of crime against women including girl children.
However, the protestors gave police a slip at Master Canteen Square and got divided into two groups. One group marched towards Sishu Bhawan Square and another group went to the State Secretariat and tried to barge into the building by breaking the barricades. For this, a scuffle ensued between them and the police near the Secretariat and Sishu Bhawan Square.
However, after an hour, the cops took more than 50 protestors into preventive custody from both the places.
BJP Mahila Morcha State president Pravati Parida, who led the rally, said, “The red bangles had been gathered from women across the State as a mark of our respect to women. We brought the bangles as gift to the CM asking him to provide security to women.”
While demanding a CBI inquiry into the Pipili case, BJP MP Roopa Ganguly, who was also a part of the rally, questioned, “On what basis did the court acquit all the accused ? And if they were released due to the lack of evidences, who committed the heinous crime? Where have all the evidences disappeared? We want a CBI inquiry into the incident.”
In reaction, BJD spokesperson Kasturi Mohapatra said, “This rally is hilarious. As they don’t have any other issues, they (BJP) are raising baseless ones. By showcasing red bangles as a sign of weakness, the BJP has declared that they are weak.”