Odisha Congress chief voices concern over missing women, announces training initiative - World News Network

Kalahandi (Odisha) [India], May 1 (ANI): Odisha Congress Chief Bhakta Charan Das has raised serious concerns over the increasing number of cases involving missing women in the state.
While addressing the issue on Wednesday, Das said to ANI, “We will train 100 women who will fight for themselves. We want to awaken the public and make them aware of things.”
Last month, Congress leader Pawan Khera had raised concerns over the alleged rising number of missing women and young girls in Odisha, alleging government inaction and suppression of protests.
Addressing the issue, Khera stated, “This is a very serious matter. Everyone across the country is surprised by what they have done to a beautiful state like Odisha…In the last 5 years of the BJD regime, 44000 women and young girls went missing. It has been 8 months since the BJP came to power, and 20000 women and young girls went missing. They replied on this in the Assembly. These are not Congress’s data. This means that 4 women go missing every hour. What can be more serious than this?
He further criticised the government’s refusal to form a House Committee on the matter, saying, “We demand a House committee, but they don’t want to form that…All 14 of our MLAs were suspended, and when our leader and workers took to the streets, they were beaten up…DGP is issuing political statements. It is not the work of bureaucracy to stand as a shield of the ruling party. When women used to go missing during the BJD regime, the BJP used to stay silent. Now when it is happening during BJP rule, BJD is silent…This is a silent understanding between them. Congress will expose this understanding and raise its voice.”
Khera also alleged police brutality against Congress leaders, stating, “I’m coming from the hospital. Our leaders are lying injured there, and some are in the ICU.”
During a press conference, Congress leader Pawan Khera also raised concerns over the safety of girls in the country.
“How are the girls missing? Is there an organ trade happening? Where have they been? How did they get missing? It is shocking to know that a 6th-grade girl in a government school hostel got pregnant…Is this a joke? And then you say, save your daughter, educate her. We know where that fund goes. It doesn’t go for the welfare of the daughters,” Khera said, questioning the government’s efforts and the allocation of funds meant for the welfare and education of girls. (ANI)

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