While the case has now gone for a judicial probe, it has brought to light once again the way things work within the Congress, the party to which Patnaik belongs. In fact, while all parties, irrespective of political affiliations and allegations, should have risen in protest against the case, the Congress is seen to be divided and the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi, has compounded matters by calling the chief minister over but not reprimanding him officially even as the facts of the case are staring the nation hard in the face.

The case is being politicised and the ultimate agony of a woman is being subjected to ruthless though petty politicking. The Congress culture has always been one of dissidence going by the name of inner-party democracy. Patnaik's foes within the state unit of the party have now started making noises about his resignation but the chief minister himself seems to be taking matters lightly and is apparently in quite high spirits after his meeting with Sonia Gandhi. It speaks volumes for the morals of a party that the top leader of the state can make light of as serious an allegation as conniving in a rape case and that too, when the lady in question has had the guts and confidence to go public about this act of male cowardice.

The people of Orissa have spontaneously risen against the chief minister and a successful and total bandh was observed throughout the state on Wednesday. The National Commission for Women has also taken up cudgels for Mishra and sent a team to the state. But the chief minister, brazenly dismissing all speculation about a resignation, is intent on hanging on to the seat of power. It is not as if this is the first case that Patnaik is facing; history has proved that he has been part of many unsavoury incidents in the past too. But, after all, he is a Congress leader and leaders of that party do not make it a practice to behave like responsible political leaders holding offices of distinction and responsibilities.

One remembers an incident of the Eighties involving one Ramrao Adik, not perhaps coinicidentally belonging to the same party, who had had to resign after not behaving exactly like gentlemen are wont to aboard a domestic flight; the Maharshatra leader did not have much of a face to hide after he returned to his senses _he had had a peg too many before and during the time he was airborne _ and was told quite unceremoniously to leave the ministry. He was, if memory serves, the deputy chief minister of the state at that time. But obviously, even the basic parameters of decency and moral responsibility have disappeared from the Congress and now even cases of gang rape with almost fullproof evidence, go unnoticed and pass off without as much as a reaction from the man who is supposed to take care of law and order of the state.