Addressing a press conference, BJD senior vice president Debi Prasad Mishra said the party would continue statewide protests until justice is delivered to the victim.
File Photo: IANS
The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday renewed its demand for the resignation of the Higher Education Minister and called for a judicial inquiry into the recent suicide of a female student in Balasore, allegedly following sexual harassment. The party has demanded that the probe be conducted by a sitting judge of the Orissa High Court.
Addressing a press conference, BJD senior vice president Debi Prasad Mishra said the party would continue statewide protests until justice is delivered to the victim.
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“This shocking incident warrants an impartial investigation by a sitting judge of the Orissa High Court, especially in light of the gross negligence by the government machinery in responding to the victim’s sexual harassment complaint. A probe by government agencies would only serve to cover up the lapses,” Mishra stated.
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He added that the Higher Education Department must accept moral responsibility and the minister concerned should resign in view of the serious and incriminating lapses by higher educational authorities.
The BJD announced that it would stage protests at all Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) offices across the state, pressing for both a judicial inquiry and the minister’s resignation. These protests are in response to the death of a 20-year-old female student at FM College, Balasore.
The victim, reportedly traumatized by ongoing sexual harassment by an assistant professor and the administration’s apathy towards her complaint, set herself ablaze on the college campus on July 12. She succumbed to her injuries two days later, on July 14, at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
Holding the system accountable for the tragedy, Mishra said, “This is not just a personal loss, but a grave systemic failure. We will not stop until the victim receives justice.”
He further informed that on July 21, the party would organize a massive gherao (picketing) at all RDC offices across Odisha.
“The entire state has been shaken by this tragic incident. Our fight for justice for the bereaved family will continue until the wrongs are set right,” Mishra added.
The victim was declared dead late at night on July 14. By the following morning, Biju Chhatra Janata Dal and Biju Yuva Janata Dal had launched statewide protests.
On July 16, the BJD also staged a gherao of Lok Seva Bhavan, during which, party leaders alleged, the police attacked protestors under instructions from the government.
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