Bhubaneswar: The opposition BJD on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP government in Odisha, demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi over the alleged harassment of devotees near Kapilash Temple in Dhenkanal district.
Holding the Chief Minister accountable in his capacity as the state’s Home Minister, the Naveen Patnaik-led party alleged a breakdown of law and order and expressed grave concern over the safety of women at major tourist and religious destinations across Odisha.
The political uproar followed a viral social media video showing a group of youths intercepting, verbally abusing, and physically assaulting a 26-year-old man and a woman in her 20s from Choudwar in Cuttack, travelling to the Kapilash shrine in Dhenkanal. The victims managed to escape after local elders intervened, after which the woman lodged a complaint on Monday, detailing the assault and harassment. Gondia police subsequently registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and arrested three suspects identified as Saroj Nayak, Samir Nayak, and Sangram Rath.
Gondia IIC Pratap Kumar Dalei, however, clarified that the complaint does not contain any allegation of molestation.
Speaking at a press conference, former minister and Biju Mahila Janata Dal president Snehangini Chhuria, accompanied by BJD legislator Manorama Mohanty and former State Women’s Commission chairperson Minati Behera, condemned the incident as an embarrassment for Odisha. “The manner in which a young woman and man were subjected to abuse just days after similar incidents made national headlines, raises grave questions regarding the state’s law and order situation under the current administration. Kapilash is a popular tourist destination drawing thousands of visitors from across Odisha, making such an incident a national shame. Worse, sexual assaults and gang rapes have been increasingly reported across various tourist locations recently,” Chhuria said, citing previous reported crimes in Gopalpur, Bali Harachandi, Dhauli, and Rayagada.
Chhuria noted that the crime came to public light only after video footage surfaced on social media three days after the incident. She criticised the police for procedural delays, pointing out that the victims had to visit multiple police stations from Chaudwar to Gandia before a case was officially registered.
She further emphasised that basic security infrastructure is missing at major sites: “At tourist places visited by hundreds every day, there are no police beat houses, no adequate lighting, and no active police patrolling. Despite claims by the Deputy Chief Minister about setting up safety checkpoints, ground reality shows total neglect.”
She linked the security lapses directly to a decline in tourist arrivals. She cited international advisories, including one issued by the United States, specifically warning women against solo travel and cautioning against travel to parts of Odisha due to crime, sexual violence, and Maoist threats.
According to the BJD, foreign tourist arrivals have plummeted by 12%. “When international advisories warn women against traveling to Odisha due to safety concerns, how can we expect tourists to visit? During the BJD administration under Naveen Patnaik, major heritage sites like Samaleswari Temple and Puri Jagannath Temple were transformed, boosting domestic and international tourism. Today, that momentum is being undone due to rising violence against women,” she asserted.
Chhuria stated that over 40,000 cases of crime against women have been reported, accusing the current government of failing to prevent offences or secure strict convictions. “The government has proven itself completely incapable of protecting women, whether on the streets, at home, in schools, or at tourist spots. Since Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi oversees the Home Department and has failed to maintain law and order, he must immediately step down,” she added.
Meanwhile, BJD president Naveen Patnaik has formed a 10-member fact-finding delegation led by Chhuria, alongside MLAs Manorama Mohanty and Sujata Sahu, among other party leaders. The team is scheduled to visit Kapilash, meet Dhenkanal SP, submit a formal memorandum, and assess local security measures. The delegation will compile a comprehensive report on tourist safety and policing efficiency to present to the party president, emphasising the need for effective policing, adequate security arrangements and prompt response mechanisms to ensure that visitors, particularly women and young people, can travel to tourist and religious destinations without fear, a party release added.