The Congress party has strongly criticized the BJP government in Odisha for the rise in crimes in the state. The party also criticized Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Manjhi for making offensive comments about tribal women, naming them "highly inappropriate." These comments were made during a press conference at the Congress office in New Delhi on February 3, 2025.
During the conference, Dr. Ajoy Kumar, the Congress leader in charge of Odisha, and Congress MP Saptagiri Ulka demanded that Chief Minister Manjhi apologize for his comments and manage the growing corruption issue in the state.
Dr. Kumar pointed out several disturbing events that have happened in Odisha since the BJP came into control. These included the rape of a 9-year-old girl in Balasore on September 1 2024 and the rape of a 19-year-old girl in Malkangiri on October 14, 2024. He also mentioned a shocking incident on November 21, 2024, when a tribal woman was humiliated terribly, including having human waste put into her mouth. In January 2025, four Christian youths in Balasore were reportedly forced to drink blood and chant “Jai Shri Ram,” and on January 26, homes of Dalit families were set on fire.
Dr. Kumar said these crimes were the result of the BJP's harmful ideas and warned that the Congress had already warned the people of Odisha that a BJP government would make the state unsafe for its people.
The Congress also condemned Chief Minister Manjhi for his controversial remarks about tribal women. Manjhi was quoted saying that tribal girls were “unclean” and that people had to go to other districts to find brides. Dr. Kumar said it was shocking that a tribal leader would say such negative things about his own community, blaming these remarks on the influence of the RSS and BJP.
Saptagiri Ulka also joined the criticism, saying that while the BJP often claims to support tribal leaders by appointing them to important positions, they are using them to push their agenda. Ulka pointed out that Manjhi’s remarks showed disrespect toward tribal women and were part of the BJP's larger plan to control tribal areas with their policies.
Ulka also raised concerns about the Polavaram Dam project, which, if built, would flood over 120 tribal villages in Malkangiri, Odisha. He criticized the BJP for not addressing important issues, such as the ongoing water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Ulka ended by urging people to stay aware of how the BJP’s policies are harming tribal communities and their rights. (PR)