Opposition to raise Pipili issue in the Assembly

BHUBANESWAR: Putting the panchayat poll debacle behind them, Opposition Congress and the BJP have planned to revive the Pipili gangrape issue to embarrass the BJD Government during second half of the budget session, scheduled to commence on March 14.  Reiterating the demand for a CBI probe into the alleged gangrape case, Opposition leader Bhupinder Singh said the chargesheet filed by the Crime Branch (CB) is meant to hide the truth. The CB maintained in the chargesheet that there was no evidence of rape of the victim. Singh said the report submitted by the State Commission for Women also held the same view. He said the issue demanding a CBI probe into the incident will be raised by the Opposition in the House. The deteriorating law and order situation will also be another issue to be discussed, he said. Issues like increasing number of crimes against women in the State, the manner in which democratic institutions are being devalued will be raised in the Assembly. Singh alleged that ignoring demands from the Opposition in this regard, the State Government announced the revised surrender  policy for Maoists and package for the farmers in the drought-affected districts. The leader of the Opposition said the State Government could have announced the decisions in the House.  Though the first phase of the Assembly is over, the House has not been adjourned and the second half will start from March 14, he said. The BJD, however, is prepared to face the Opposition onslaught in the house. Sources said all the MLAs had been asked to attend Assembly regularly in the second half as the Zilla Parishad polls would have been over by then.