What Led to the Outrage Over a Student's Self-Immolation in Odisha?

Outcry Over Student's Tragic Incident in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Following a shocking self-immolation attempt by a female student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, both the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress have reached out to President Droupadi Murmu. They are requesting a meeting during her upcoming two-day visit to Odisha, which begins on Monday, to discuss this distressing event that has left the state in turmoil.

During a press conference in Bhubaneswar on Sunday, senior BJD member Tukuni Sahu expressed that this incident is part of a troubling trend, claiming that the safety of women and students has significantly declined under the current BJP administration over the past 13 months. She criticized the state government for its inaction in response to such alarming occurrences.

Sahu stated, "With the President visiting Odisha, our BJD delegation is eager to address the pressing issue of women's safety in the state. We have sent an email requesting a meeting with her." The BJD has also raised concerns regarding the state's involvement in the tragic case of Soumyashree Bisi, the B.Ed student who attempted self-immolation.

The victim had previously filed complaints with college officials and sought help from the Chief Minister, the Union Education Minister, and the State Higher Education Minister, but her pleas went unanswered.

The party contends that Soumyashree resorted to this drastic measure after being denied justice.

Bhakta Charan Das, president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, also sent a letter to President Murmu, requesting a brief meeting to present a memorandum regarding Soumyashree's case. He was joined by former OPCC presidents and a former union minister.

In his correspondence, Das highlighted that the student faced severe sexual harassment from her department head, Samir Kumar Sahu, and lamented the lack of support from authorities. He condemned the indifference shown by the college administration, police, and political leaders, calling it unacceptable.

Das urged the President to allocate just five minutes of her time during her visit on July 14 and 15 for this important discussion, expressing gratitude in advance for her consideration.