BHUBANESWAR: Ahead of the elections, the Mahila Congress here on Friday announced its decision to launch a digital campaign against the state government over a host of issues including atrocities against women, inadequate drinking water facilities and poor employment opportunities.Stating that the BJD government failed to ensure the safety and socio-economic development of women, the Mahila Congress leaders said the Congress manifesto will highlight those issues and offer reservation to women in government jobs and provide better security if voted to power..“We are all set to launch a digital campaign by January-end. Female members of our party will connect with women across the state digitally. They will circulate messages through mobile phones on our vision for women’s development and government’s failures. The digital campaign will be monitored by our tech-experts at the booth level,” All India Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev told the media here. Dev was here to attend the state executive meeting of Odisha Pradesh Mahila Congress.“Mahila Congress will also try to convince the women that the Congress will create a safer ambience for them, if voted to power,” Dev said, adding, “We will also emphasise on door-to-door campaigns”.Dev tried to corner the ruling BJD over alleged injustice to 2011 Pipili rape-murder victim, whose tormentors (two brothers) were acquitted recently. She also raised the issue involving the alleged gang-rape of a girl from West Bengal in Konark in October last year. She said the state Mahila Congress will gherao the assembly next month in protest against the unabated instances of violence against women in the state. We will also meet the governor soon and submit a memorandum on the issue,” Dev said. Hailing chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s resolution in the assembly, seeking 33% reservation for women in legislative assemblies and Parliament, Dev said she would have been more happy had he given the 33% reservation to women in government jobs.BJD’s Mahila wing president Minati Behera rubbished Dev’s charges. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik is committed to the safety and development of women and children. “The government initiated a number of women-friendly security measures in the last 19 years. Women were more unsafe during the Congress regime,” Behera said.

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