Bhubaneswar, 20 December (H.S.) : Hitting back at the Congress over its agitation on the law and order situation in Odisha, BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal on Saturday said the State government has taken swift and effective action against crimes over the past 18 months. He alleged that the Congress was resorting to protests merely to safeguard its political relevance.

Biswal said that in cases of crimes against women, whether in Dhauli or Gopalpur, the accused have not been spared, unlike during previous regimes. Citing national reports, he claimed that Bhubaneswar has been ranked as the second safest city in the country for women.

Targeting the Congress, the BJP spokesperson said the party should first introspect on its own “character and conduct.” He alleged that a leader of the Congress student wing had been arrested in a sexual exploitation case involving a student, while some leaders spearheading the protest were facing fraud-related charges.

Biswal asserted that under such circumstances, the Congress had no moral authority to raise questions on law and order or take to the streets.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda