Tension gripped Odisha after the death of a college student due to self-immolation over the issue of sexual harassment by her college professor, with the Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers holding a massive protest in Balasore.
The BJD enforced Balasore bandh, demanding justice for the victim. Party workers blocked roads and highways, leading to heavy traffic disruptions on the Kolkata-Chennai National Highway.
Police used water cannon to disperse the protesting BJD workers and detained several of them.
The student’s death has triggered a massive public and political outrage in the state with the Opposition alleging the death of the student was a “murder by the BJP system.”
The BJD said the bandh was called in protest against the injustice done to the FM College student and demanded the resignation of Odisha Chief Minister and Education Minister.
“The incompetent BJP government running in the state is unable to fulfill its responsibilities properly. For irresponsible actions, the Chief Minister and the Higher Education Minister should resign immediately,” the BJD said on X.
It said that the BJP government has deployed force and was using water cannons to supress their movement but it will continue until the victim gets justice.
“While the Biju Janata Dal is surrounding the Lok Seva Bhawan, the state government has deployed the police force, using water cannons and tear gas to try to stop it. But this fight, which has begun to provide justice to the female students of FM College, will continue, and no force can stop it,” it said.
The 20-year-old student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Odisha’s Balasore had set herself on fire after her sexual harassment complaint against a college professor was allegedly ignored.
She had reportedly lodged a formal complaint with the college principal and the Internal Complaints Committee of the college against the professor.
The victim had also made public appeals to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and even apprised the women’s commission about it.
However, despite her repeated efforts, no action was taken against the professor and the Internal Complaints Committee gave him a clean chit, leading to her taking the extreme step.
Meanwhile, the Congress has also called a statewide bandh on Thursday, July 17 over the incident.