Bhubaneswar: The self-immolation by a 20-year-old college student for allegedly being denied justice over sexual harassment in Odisha's Balasore district triggered a statewide outrage on Sunday with the opposition parties staging protests, demanding the resignation of the state higher education minister.

Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das on Sunday hit out at the BJP government over the issue of the Balasore self-immolation case and demanded the resignation of the state education minister.

"The suicide attempt took place a month after speaking to the MP. What were the CMO and the education minister doing for a month? Is this how justice is served? The student knocked on all the doors. The day she attempted suicide, she had left the principal's room. What he did to her is still in the dark. What prompted her to commit immediate suicide?... The principal must have disappointed her, leaving her with no other option. The BJP is in the government, and its student wing is not able to get justice for itself... How is the CMO working?... An ABVP student had to attempt suicide. How will she encourage others to join their party?... We demand that the Education Minister must resign or the CM must sack him..." Bhakta Charan Das told ANI.

He further added, "Why did this happen? Who was that girl? What was her complaint, and why did she attempt suicide? She filed an FIR in June. She tagged the Education Minister and the CMO on Facebook. She was from ABVP, and she also met Pratap Sarangi, Balasore MP... Pratap Sarangi compared the accused lecturer with Chalisa, which is used for Lord Hanuman. Someone who misbehaves with women cannot be connected with the Chalisa. Pratap Sarangi calls himself a Hindu; he should have managed his words."

Public outrage spilled over to social media, with people reacting to posts by prominent political leaders. A user commented below Bhakta Charan Das’s post, sharing the survivor’s post from July 1, saying, “The aggrieved Girl has informed to the authorities know! Having exhausted all her effort running pillar to post she decided to self-immolate herself. This is unacceptable”, ending with a demand for the resignation of Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Balasore MP.

Navajyoti Patnaik reposted the victim’s X post calling for help, tagging the chief minister, higher education minister, local MP, MLA, and other officials.

Naveen Patnaik, Leader of Opposition and ex-Chief Minister of Odisha, lamented the lack of justice, and urging the Governor’s intervention. “For months, she lived in fear and anguish. On July 1, in a desperate plea for help, she posted her grievance on social media, tagging several top officials. But with no action forthcoming, she tragically resorted to setting herself on fire, right outside the principal’s chamber, in a final attempt to end her suffering,” he said in a post on X.

One user commented beneath Naveen Patnaik’s post on X, referring to the rising cases of violence against women, “Day by day... this is increasing more... alarming situation”.

Another user said, “more is expected from any BJP government! The people of Odisha gave yoy a thumping majority, not to see this!!!

OPCC forms eight-member committee

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Sunday formed an eight-member fact-finding committee to investigate the alleged self-immolation attempt.

The eight-member fact-finding committee will be headed by state women's wing president Meenakshi Bahinipati to inquire into the self-immolation attempt by a student of Fakir Mohan College in Balasore.

Congress MLA Sofia Firdous has been named in the panel. In a letter, the Odisha Congress said the committee will visit Balasore and inspect the incident site and submit a report to the Pradesh Congress Office.

Student unions stage protest

The National Students’s Union of India (NSUI), in a post on their official X handle, said, “BJP’s ‘Beti Bachao’ rings hollow when daughters plead for help and leaders remain silent.”

Youth BJD leaders also called upon the victim’s X post, demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister and Education minister, as reported by the media.

ANI