For the first time since its electoral defeat in Chhattisgarh, the Congress has launched a strong attack on the state BJP government, accusing it of failing to address the growing violence against women.
In a display of protest, the women workers of Congress took to the streets on Tuesday, underscoring the alarming rise in crimes, particularly rapes. The demonstrators, clad in symbolic attire representing rape victims, marched from Rajeev Chowk towards the Chief Minister’s residence, only to be thwarted by a formidable police presence.
Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel excoriated the BJP regime, decrying its attempts to muzzle the opposition through spurious FIRs. “The BJP’s precarious position in the state is laid bare by its inability to safeguard women,” Baghel declared, addressing the gathering. “We will raise this issue directly with the Chief Minister, under the leadership of (Congress Rajya Sabha MP) Phulodevi Netam.”
PCC Chief Deepak Baij echoed these sentiments, castigating the BJP government’s handling of women’s safety and governance failures. “In a mere nine months, this administration has shattered the lives of countless mothers and sisters,” Baij asserted. “If you are chosen by the people, you owe it to them to ensure the dignity and safety of women.”
The Congress has also announced a concerted agitation against the hike in cement prices, with press conferences slated for September 11 across all districts and a one-day protest at district headquarters on September 12.