Bhubaneswar, July 15: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday sharply criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the tragic death of a 20-year-old student in Odisha's Balasore, accusing him of "cheap politics" and demanding an apology.
Taking to social media platform X, Pradhan condemned Gandhi’s statements, calling them reflective of a "petty mindset." He said the incident had deeply shocked the nation, and accused the Congress party of exploiting the tragedy for political mileage.
“The cheap politics played by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress on the tragic incident involving Odisha’s daughter is extremely unfortunate. Turning a serious and sensitive matter into a political weapon reflects @RahulGandhi’s petty mindset. The incident has shaken the entire nation, but Congress has seized this opportunity to bake its political bread,” Pradhan posted.
The senior BJP leader emphasized that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP have consistently prioritised women’s safety and justice. He assured that the Odisha government would ensure the strictest action against those found guilty.
“Prime Minister Modi ji and the BJP have always taken concrete steps for women’s safety and justice, while Congress has consistently sought opportunities in every tragedy. The Odisha government stands with the victim’s family with full sensitivity, and no one involved in this case will be spared,” he added.
Pradhan urged Rahul Gandhi to apologise to the victim’s family for what he termed an “irresponsible” statement.
Rahul Gandhi had earlier called the student’s death an “organised murder by the BJP’s system,” accusing the government of failing to protect her. In a post on X, Gandhi alleged that the student, who died after setting herself on fire following alleged sexual harassment, faced continuous threats and humiliation without receiving justice.
“The death of a daughter fighting for justice in Odisha is nothing less than a murder by the BJP’s system. That brave student raised her voice against sexual harassment, but instead of delivering justice, she was threatened, tormented, and repeatedly humiliated. Those who were supposed to protect her kept breaking her,” Gandhi wrote.
The Leader of Opposition further claimed that the BJP government shielded the accused and questioned Prime Minister Modi’s silence on the matter.
“As always, the BJP’s system continued to shield the accused and forced an innocent daughter to set herself on fire. This is not suicide; it is an organised murder by the system. Modi ji, whether in Odisha or Manipur, the daughters of the nation are burning, breaking, and dying. And you? You remain silent. The country doesn’t need your silence; it needs answers. India’s daughters need safety and justice,” he said.
The 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore succumbed to her injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she had been admitted on July 12 after attempting self-immolation. The AIIMS Burn Centre confirmed her death on Monday night.
Reports indicate that the student had been facing prolonged sexual harassment from the Head of Department at her college. Despite lodging formal complaints and reaching out to the college principal, her appeals allegedly went unheard, culminating in the tragic act.
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