Tribes, women, soldiers unsafe in BJP-ruled states: Dr Ajoy

In a strong statement at a press conference on Saturday, former MP and senior Congress leader Dr Ajoy Kumar expressed deep concern over the rising atrocities against tribals, women and army personnel in BJP-ruled states. He criticized the silence of BJP leaders in the face of rising crimes and injustices, saying the safety of vulnerable sections has been seriously compromised.

Dr Kumar highlighted a disturbing trend of rising crime, particularly in Odisha. “The law and order situation has deteriorated drastically under the BJP rule,” he said. He referred to specific incidents including the September 18 attack on a woman lawyer, the fiancée of an army captain, by policemen in Bhubaneswar and the tragic case of a woman whose body was found in Jharbeda forest, Sambalpur district, on September 1.

He also condemned several recent incidents of sexual violence, including the gang rape of a 22-year-old girl in Dhenkanal district and the brutal rape and murder of an 18-year-old tribal girl in Sundargarh district on September 16. Dr Kumar stressed that the Odisha Chief Minister and top BJP leaders have remained silent on these alarming incidents and accused them of being ‘silent spectators’.

Referring to similar incidents in Jharkhand, Dr. Kumar reminded the audience of Seema Patra, a BJP leader who was accused of torturing a tribal housekeeper for months. “BJP leaders, who often claim to protect tribals, must explain why their own party members are involved in such heinous acts,” he noted.

The Congress leader went further, accusing the BJP of protecting criminals, including those involved in high-profile cases such as Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accused of sexually exploiting female wrestlers, and Kuldeep Sengar, convicted in the Unnao rape case. He argued that the BJP has consistently protected rapists, citing incidents such as the Bilkis Bano case, where convicts were supported by party workers.

Dr Kumar also raised concerns about the safety of army personnel in BJP-ruled states, citing the assault of two army officers and gang rape of their friends in Indore. He lamented the plight of army officer Serto Thangthang Kom, who was abducted and murdered in Manipur. He concluded by condemning the apathy of BJP leaders towards soldiers, quoting a former BJP MP’s insensitive remark that “if they are army soldiers, they will definitely die.”