Bhubaneswar: Thousands of Congress workers, led by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Bhakta Charan Das, converged on Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar on Thursday to protest the escalating violence against women and minor girls in Odisha.
The massive rally, which began at Ram Mandir Square and proceeded through Janpath, saw participation from women leaders, district presidents, MLAs, MPs, and representatives of the Women’s Congress, Youth Congress, and Chhatra Congress, demanding justice and safety for the state’s women.
In a historic move, the demonstration was entirely managed by women leaders, who condemned the surge in rapes, gang rapes, and atrocities under the BJP-led government. Prominent figures like Bijayalaxmi Sahu, Saraswati Hembram, Shushila Tiria, and Minakhi Bahinipati highlighted the worsening situation, accusing the administration of indifference.
Bhakta Charan Das, addressing the crowd, vowed that the Congress would persist in its agitation until justice is delivered, claiming that eight women are raped daily in Odisha and 44,824 women and minor girls remain missing, with little action from the government.
He demanded a House Committee to probe these incidents, questioning, “What was our fault in raising this issue?”
The AICC Odisha in-charge Ajay Lallu criticized the BJP’s “Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao” slogan as hollow, pointing to cases of gang rape involving girls as young as five and seven, and labeling Odisha a “haven for rapists.”
The protest turned violent when police clashed with demonstrators at barricades, resorting to lathi charges, water cannons, tear gas, and even blank gunfire to disperse the crowd.
Over 50 Congress workers, including women, were seriously injured and are receiving treatment. Earlier in the day, leaders like Manas Choudhury and youth activists were detained at Chandaka police station.
The event saw participation from key Congress figures, including Legislative Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam, AICC co-in-charge Rozalini Tirkey, and former PCC presidents Niranjan Patnaik and Jayadev Jena, among others.
Despite the police crackdown, the Congress reiterated its resolve to fight for women’s safety in a state they describe as no longer secure.
