BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday told the Opposition that the era of political protection for criminals was over as his government has given a free hand to the police to come down heavily on the offenders.
In his reply to the supplementary demand discussion of Home and General Administration departments, the chief minister took a dig at the previous BJD government for giving ‘licence’ for political protection of criminals. “The licence period is over after the BJP came to power and there is no chance of its renewal. All offenders should mend their ways, otherwise I have directed the police to take necessary action to reform them. I assure the people of the state that the government is fully prepared to deal with law and order risks,” the CM said.
Majhi, who holds the Home portfolio, further said that despite challenging circumstances and political criticism, every department of the police is performing its duties in a free and fair manner. “If I were to highlight one achievement of the state police in the last 18 months, it is that they have taken strict action against offenders according to the law, without succumbing to political pressure or providing protection to any criminal,” he said.
“As the head of the state and Home minister as well, I have instructed the police administration from day one to act fearlessly, impartially and strictly against offenders within the bounds of the law. The outcome is reflected in the state’s improved law and order situation,” Majhi added.
Dismissing Opposition allegations of deteriorating law and order situation and increasing atrocities against women, the chief minister, citing NCRB reports, said Odisha ranked first in violence against women in proportion to its population during BJD rule. “In 2023, there were 25,914 cases, a 9.6 per cent increase from the previous year. The state also had the highest rate of cases related to outraging the modesty of women with 5,937 cases, the second-highest in the country.”
Odisha also ranked first in human trafficking while cyber crime increased 35 times between 2010 and 2023, he added.
The House passed supplementary demand of Rs 261.79 crore of Home department and Rs 59.36 crore of GA&PG department.
