BHUBANESWAR: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday spoke to the father of the deceased girl student of FM (Autonomous) College and assured that the party stands firmly with the family in every step of their fight for justice.
Taking to X, Rahul said, “In his voice, I felt the pain, dreams, and struggles of his daughter. I assured him that the Congress party and I stand with them every step of the way.”
He said the incident was not only inhumane and shameful but also a scar on the entire society. “Congress will ensure the victim’s family gets complete justice in every way,” Rahul added.
Meanwhile, the Congress has called for a 12-hour bandh from 6 am to 6 pm on Thursday to highlight the failure of the system in providing justice to the victim. Emergency services like ambulances, hospitals, medicine stores and others related to healthcare will, however, be kept out of its purview.
Earlier, addressing a media conference, president of the All India Mahila Congress Alka Lamba called upon people of the state to support the bandh. She said the Congress will also gherao the Parliament during the ensuing monsoon session beginning July 21, over the incident.
Calling Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inexperienced to run the government, Lamba demanded his resignation and sought imposition of President’s rule in the state in view of the growing crimes against women.
“Congress MLAs had previously raised the issue of increasing atrocities against women in the Odisha Assembly, seeking discussions on women’s safety. But, they were expelled from the House. Now, at Fakir Mohan College, the girl student faced sexual harassment and though she informed everyone, the government remained silent,” Lamba said adding, Odisha has become a death trap for women.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das and Left leaders too, urged people to make Thursday’s bandh successful. “The bandh is a protest against the double-engine government’s failure in ensuring justice in the state,” they said.