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Congress leader Mumtaz Patel expressed deep concern over the recent cases of violence against women in Odisha, criticising both the state administration and the central government for their silence and inaction.
Her remarks came in response to two distressing incidents reported from the state: the self-immolation of a young woman in Balasore after alleged prolonged harassment, and another case of a minor girl being burnt alive in Puri district. Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Patel said, "In Balasore, a few days ago, we saw that a girl had to commit suicide after being harassed for so many days, and now you saw that in Puri, another girl was burnt alive. I want to express great sorrow and anger at such incidents." She added, "This is not just a question of law and order, but a question that arises in society that why are we not able to hear the fear and screams of our daughters? I want to ask if the Deputy CM of Odisha is herself a woman. I also want to talk about the silence of the Prime Minister. It is obvious that action should be taken; these people should be punished. The bigger question is what are we doing to the daughters of our country?" Meanwhile, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) staged protests against Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, including burning her effigy, following the horrific incident of a minor girl being set on fire in Nimapara, Puri district. BJD MLA Tusharkanti Behera condemned the incident, stating, "It's quite unfortunate what happened to the minor girl student of Nimapara, a constituency whose leader is Deputy CM Pravati Parida. We pray that the girl will recover quickly. Therefore, the government should step down." The 15-year-old victim, who suffered 70% burn injuries, is currently undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar and is in critical condition. She is being airlifted to AIIMS Delhi for advanced treatment on Sunday. The incident occurred under the jurisdiction of the Balanda police station in the Nimapada block of Puri district. According to her cousin, the 15-year-old girl, who had gone out with friends, was abducted and taken to the riverside, where she was set on fire by unidentified miscreants. Severely burnt, she managed to reach a nearby house from where she was rushed to the hospital. (ANI)
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