Congress condemns sexual exploitation of army official fiancé in Odisha PS; questions PM’s silence

New Delhi: Congress condemned the barbaric sexual exploitation of an army officer’s fiancé in an Odisha police station.

“Women are not safe even inside the police stations of the BJP-ruled states,” Supriya Shrinate, Congress spokesperson and Chairperson of the Social Media and Digital Platforms, told the media.

Supriya Shrinate pointed out how the fiancé of an army major had been brutally and barbarically exploited sexually inside the police station when she went there for help.

She said it was ironic that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken of women empowerment in the same state, within 72 hours of his speech, a woman was being subjected to such brutal torture, which included sexual exploitation by some monstrous policemen inside the police station.

Shrinate said the victim was no ordinary woman, but a lawyer and a restaurateur, besides being engaged to an officer of the Indian army. And despite that, she was subjected to such bone-chilling monstrous, and macabre treatment, Congress leader said.

Questioning the BJP leaders’ silence, Prime Minister’s in particular, Shrinate said they rightfully protested against the West Bengal rape and murder, but why they chose to remain quiet on the Odisha incident.

She asked why was it happening in the BJP-ruled states as earlier in Manipur, where two women were paraded nude, one of whom was a Kargil war hero’s wife. In another BJP-ruled state of Madhya Pradesh, female companions of army officers were meted with the same treatment.

Giving details of the Odisha incident, Shrinate said, the woman was going back to her home, when some catcalling, and eve-teasing happened.

“She went to the nearest police station. Instead of helping her out, the police tied her hands and her feet, a male police officer came and disrobed her”, Shrinate added.

“Is this how safe our women are? The Prime Minister is silent. The BJP rightfully protested in West Bengal. What about Odisha now, are you going to keep quiet?” she asked, adding, that they don’t want to speak in Badlapur, they don’t want to speak in UP, in Bihar, or any place that is controlled by the BJP.

Referring to the pin drop “stony silence” of the Women and Child Development Minister, she said, she rarely speaks rather she doesn’t speak. She also questioned the silence of the women MPs of the BJP and also that of the National Women’s Commission, which she observed, had just become a fontal organisation of the BJP.