'In his voice, I could feel her pain': Rahul Gandhi speaks to father of Balasore immolation victim; calls incident a wound to society

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday spoke with the father of the 20-year-old college student from Balasore , Odisha , who died two days after attempting self-immolation following alleged inaction on her sexual harassment complaint.

In a post on X, RAhul Gandhi expressed solidarity with the grieving family. “Spoke to the father of the brave daughter who lost her life fighting for justice in Balasore, Odisha. In his voice, I could feel her pain, her dreams, and her struggle,” he wrote. “I assured him that the Congress party and I stand with him at every step. What happened is not just inhuman and shameful, but a wound to the entire society. We will ensure the victim’s family gets full justice.”

Meanwhile, Father of the victim said, "Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi spoke to me this morning and expressed grief over my daughter's death. He enquired about the incident... He assured me that he is with me in the fight to get justice for my daughter... He told me that the whole country is with us and assured me that he will provide all possible help... I will fight till my last breath to ensure justice for my daughter... The strictest law should be made against those who commit such crimes..."

#WATCH | Balasore, Odisha | Odisha's Balasore student self-immolation case | The father of the victim says, "Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi spoke to me this morning and expressed grief over my daughter's death. He enquired about the incident... He… https://t.co/2mgR8RAcO6 pic.twitter.com/En5TfSBMUL

— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2025

The victim, a second-year student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, had accused her department’s head of sexual harassment. She had been protesting since early July but reportedly received no support from the college authorities. On July 12, she set herself on fire outside the college gate. She was admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar with 95 percent burns and died on July 14.

The incident has triggered widespread outrage across the state and the country, with multiple political parties attacking the BJP-led Odisha government. Gandhi had earlier described the death as an “organized murder by the system.” He had said, “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. This is not suicide; it is an organized murder by the system.”

Former Odisha chief minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik also criticised the state government. “It is disturbing to think how a failed system can take someone's life. The most painful part is that this was not an accident, but rather the result of a system that remained silent instead of helping. Struggling for justice, the girl ultimately closed her eyes,” he posted on X. Patnaik also urged the governor to take strict action against both the college authorities and the government.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan hit back at the Congress, calling Gandhi’s remarks an example of “petty politics.” “The cheap politics by Rahul Gandhi and Congress on the tragic incident involving Odisha’s daughter is extremely unfortunate. Turning a serious and sensitive matter into a political weapon reflects Rahul Gandhi’s petty mindset. The Odisha government stands with the victim’s family with full sensitivity, and the strictest action will be taken against the culprits; no one will be spared,” he said.

According to earlier reports, the student had submitted a written complaint to the college principal against the accused professor. She also uploaded the complaint on social media, tagging student leaders and government officials. Despite repeated efforts, no action was taken until her self-immolation attempt. The head of department and the college principal have since been suspended and arrested.

The state government has promised a judicial inquiry and directed all colleges and universities to strengthen safety mechanisms, including CCTV monitoring and internal squads. However, opposition leaders continue to demand accountability from the higher education minister and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

Protests across Odisha are ongoing, with students, women’s groups, and political activists demanding swift and visible justice for the victim. The incident has reignited debate over women’s safety on campuses and the failure of institutions to act in time, despite repeated warnings.