CM avoiding questions on rising minor rapes: Cong

Opposition Congress today accused Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of avoiding questions on frequent sexual assault on minor girls in the state.

"A state government which is unable to protect life and dignity of women has no moral right to continue. The chief minister has no guts to respond to the increasing crime of sexual harassment against women and therefore is avoiding the House," Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee said in a statement here.

Stating that party leader Narasingha Mishra, who is the leader of opposition had earlier in the day raised the "serious issue" in the state, the OPCC said that the party MLAs demanded a statement from the chief minister.

"There was no response either from the speaker or from the government. The chief minister, who is in charge of home department while replying to an adjournment motion on similar matter also kept quiet on the points raised by the opposition particularly sexual assault of minor girls and their murder," it said.

The chief minister also did not express any regret over the incidents of rape of minors, it added.

"More than six rape cases have already been reported and yearly conviction is only six. This shows how serious the state government is in protecting the life and dignity of the weaker sections of the society and women," the statement said.

OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said, "The government which cannot protect the dignity of women and their life has no moral right to continue.