Opposition Congress and BJP members on Tuesday accused the State Government of using police forces for political reasons and not caring about safety of common people while participating in a discussion during an Adjournment Motion on the law and order situation in the State Assembly.
They too staged a walkout over the reply of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who claimed that criminal activities are now under control in the State.
Participating in the discussion, leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra raised issues of police excesses at Kendrapada and Belabahali, Namtara firing and Nuapada youth killing case. He said police in all these incidents had attacked people mercilessly as they were used for political reasons by the ruling party.
He too said that the Chief Minister doesn’t know the ground reality. His Government only knows to put humble police officers in trouble, Mishra said referring to court order on the former DG case.
BJP MlA KV Singh Deo too slammed the Government in the above incidents. The police excess over common people has been unbearable. The Government should check the tendency soon, he said.
In his reply, the Chief Minister said criminal activities by the Maoists have come down in 11 districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Jajpur, Nuapada, Dhenkanal, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sambalpur and Koraput and the law and order in the State is fully under control.
The Chief Minister expressed concern that the Centre has reduced aid for modernisation of police forces. He said the Government has planned to set up mobile towers at 253 locations to augment communication networks in the State.
Expressing resent over the Chief Minister’s reply, opposition Congress and BJP members staged a walkout.