Amid rising incidents of rape, murder, and misbehavior against women in Odisha, the youth and student wings of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) have called for a statewide protest on June 25.
The Biju Yuva and Chhatra Janata Dal announced the initiative during a press conference at Sankha Bhawan, condemning the BJP-led state government’s alleged failure to curb violence against women.
Senior BJD leader and MLA Byomakesh Ray claimed the state’s law and order has deteriorated since the BJP assumed office, with newspapers reporting daily cases of brutal crimes targeting women. “Fifteen young women are raped every day. From Gopalpur to Keonjhar, the situation is horrifying. Yet, the government remains silent,” Ray asserted.
Former student leader and MLA Devi Ranjan Tripathy outlined the protest plan: students across the state will boycott classes, wear black shirts, picket campuses, and burn symbolic kush effigies as a form of resistance.
The leaders also took aim at the state government’s priorities, criticising celebrations marking one year in office while 11 districts face outbreaks of cholera and diarrhoea. “The people are in distress, women are unsafe, and the administration is absent,” Tripathy said.
The protest is expected to mobilise students in all Odisha colleges, making it a major demonstration of youth-led political dissent focused on women’s safety and civil accountability.
