Political Mahabharat Brews in Odisha Over Women's Safety

The confrontation between BJP and Congress in Odisha intensifies as Congress leader Bhakta Charan Das likens it to 'Mahabharat,' focusing on women's safety. Congress plans protests and 'gherao' of the Assembly in response to perceived inaction by the BJP government. Police prepare for heightened security amidst protest plans.

The political tension in Odisha escalated on Wednesday as Congress likened its confrontation with the BJP over women's safety to a modern-day 'Mahabharat.' Odisha Congress chief Bhakta Charan Das criticized the ruling party's handling of women's issues, claiming the government failed to curb increasing atrocities against women and vowed to continue protests until a resolution is in place.

Das announced plans for Congress to 'gherao' the Assembly on Thursday and intensify various agitational activities state-wide. Criticizing the suspension of 14 Congress MLAs for gong-beating, Das argued that such actions were symbolic and drew comparisons to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's endorsement of similar actions during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Police in Bhubaneswar have implemented tight security measures, deploying 80 platoons of police ahead of the planned protests. Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena stressed the importance of maintaining peace and warned of potential legal actions against lawbreakers. The actions reflect growing unrest as the Congress party, under new leadership, continues to spotlight the issue of women's safety on various political platforms.

(With inputs from agencies.)