BJD Demands Odisha CM’s Apology For Remark On Tribal Women

Baripada: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday lashed out at Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi accusing him of having made offensive remarks against tribal women regarding their skin colour.

Addressing a press meet at Baripada, former Rajya Sabha MP Sarojini Hembram and Mayurbhanj Zilla Parishad chairperson Bharati Hansda said demanded unconditional apology by the Chief Minister for making such derogatory remark about tribal women.

Coming down heavily on Majhi, they said the statement made by the Chief Minister at a recent function in Bhubaneswar that tribal girls are not ‘fair’ and he had to search outside Keonjhar district for a bride is anti-tribal.

Majhi, who is a tribal leader, had stated that he married a girl from Mayurbhanj district, Hembram said, adding that such remark by the CM showed his discriminatory attitude. “His statement was nothing but an insult to all tribal women,” she said.

“The Chief Minister must tender an unconditional apology to the tribal women for his derogatory remarks,” Bharati Hansda said.

The BJD leaders claimed that the statement of the Chief Minister has reflected the attitude of the BJP government towards tribals. During the last seven months of BJP rule, crime against tribal women have also increased in Odisha, they alleged.

Earlier, senior Congress leaders, including Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka and Odisha in-charge of the party Ajoy Kumar had mounted a scathing attack on Majhi for his remark, terming it as ‘anti-tribal.’