The Congress launched a scathing attack on the Odisha government over the Balasore FM College incident, drawing parallels with crimes against women in BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in Delhi, All India Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba and Cuttack-Barabati MLA Sofia Firdous questioned the growing number of crimes against women under the so-called “double-engine government.”
Referring to the alleged suicide attempt by a female student of Fakir Mohan College after reporting sexual harassment by an ABVP office-bearer, Alka Lamba said, “The student had approached a BJP MP, the Odisha Chief Minister, and concerned authorities with complaints of harassment but was instead threatened with action if she failed to provide proof.”
Alka added, “The mentally distressed student staged a protest demanding justice. When she lost hope, she set herself ablaze inside the college campus. This tragic act exposes the failure of Odisha’s system.” She further questioned the silence of the National Commission for Women and asked why it hasn’t sent representatives to Bhubaneswar.
Lamba also revealed alarming data:
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Over 2.14 lakh crimes against women reported in Odisha in one year.
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3,054 rape cases and 1,207 murders registered.
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Nine acid attacks reported within a year.
She asked, “How safe are women in Odisha? What justice has the BJP government provided to women? How many culprits have been punished?”
Citing cases like the Gopalpur gang rape, Lamba labeled Odisha among the top states for crimes against women, along with Bihar, UP, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan—all ruled by the BJP. “These states are offering protection to the accused,” she said, calling it deeply concerning.
MLA Sofia Firdous, also speaking from Delhi, displayed videos and testimonials from the student and demanded Chief Minister Mohan Majhi’s resignation. “Odisha is in the headlines again—not for development, but for crimes against women,” she said.
Firdous added, “The student raised her voice against an HOD accused of sexual misconduct. She couldn’t reach the MP or CM, and ultimately attempted self-immolation. This is a serious indictment of the state’s failure.”
Calling the incident a wake-up call, she demanded a judicial inquiry and punishment for the guilty. Firdous urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence and respond to the people of Odisha. “From schoolgirls becoming pregnant to a college student attempting suicide, Odisha’s women are no longer safe. The BJP government must answer for this,” she concluded.
