Bhubaneswar: The Opposition, including the Congress and several Left parties, will stage a mass protest July 18 in front of Lok Seva Bhawan, demanding justice in the self-immolation case involving a student of Fakir Mohan College, Balasore. A joint meeting in this regard held at Congress Bhawan Monday saw participation from Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das and leaders from the Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation [CPI(ML)], All India Students’ Federation (AISF), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Samajwadi Party (SP), and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The leaders pledged statewide protests against rising atrocities on women and institutional negligence. They demanded the resignation of the Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, the local MLA and MP, and the immediate arrest of the college principal and the accused faculty member.
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Citing a series of recent violent and unethical incidents across the state, they termed it a reflection of systemic administrative failure. Monday, several Left parties and the Navnirman Krushak Sangathan staged separate protests demanding justice for the victim, who is currently battling for her life at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. The CPI(M) and the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) held demonstrations at Master Canteen Square, raising slogans and carrying placards demanding strict action. They called for the arrest of those responsible and the suspension of officials who failed to respond to the victim’s repeated pleas. CPI (M) Khurda district women’s wing president Minati Panigharhi said, “The girl tagged all top authorities, including the CM and Education Minister, yet no action was taken. She was forced to take this extreme step. The government must act decisively to deliver justice.”
