Balasore: Three voters from Odisha’s Nilgiri Assembly constituency have lodged a police complaint against BJP MLA Santosh Khatua at Nilgiri police station over derogatory remarks against BJD leader Lekhasri Samantsinghar.
The complainants condemned the remarks, which they saw on social media, as shameful and humiliating, especially toward women. “We feel insulted as citizens after hearing such remarks, which undermined women’s dignity, from our elected representative,” they noted, urging police action.
The MLA is yet to respond to the complaint.
Khatua had made those remarks on Thursday while reacting to the allegations of the BJD leader about his involvement in the killing of an elephant and theft of tusks on June 15.
In a long post on X, BJD president and Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik had also termed the MLA’s remarks as ‘unfortunate and utterly unacceptable’. “Attempting to assassinate a woman’s character in public as a political response is a reflection of a deep-seated misogyny and is an attempt to silence women,” he wrote.
Lekhasri, who was BJP Odisha vice-president, quit the party and joined the BJD in the weeks preceding the 2024 elections and contested from Balasore parliamentary seat.
Naveen further stated that the silence of BJP leaders on this matter is also concerning. “Not a single leader has come forward to condemn such reprehensible remarks or hold the MLA accountable. This behavior and the silence of all concerned clearly reveal the stance of the ruling party in public.”
“Before preaching about women’s empowerment, politicians need to first learn the basic principle of respecting women. Hearing such derogatory words from an elected representative is utterly intolerable and inhumane. It is quite rare for Odisha’s political landscape to stoop to such a shameful level. I urge all conscious citizens of Odisha to identify the true face of those who, with such perverse mentalities and anti-women attitudes, occupy positions in the state assembly. Let us, irrespective of party affiliations, oppose this and unite to ensure accountability. Otherwise, as a state, we will fail our daughters and mothers,” he added.
Lekhasri had earlier shared a video of the Nilgiri MLA, making the remarks while speaking to reporters, on her X account tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “This is the true face of a BJP leader. I know there are many capable and intelligent Odia officers in your PMO @PMOIndia and party. Please ask them to translate this video for you. This is in contrast to what you preach on ‘Nari ka Samman’ or ‘Operation Sindoor.’ Odisha BJP has become so incompetent that they are not even in a position to think about women’s dignity. The mentality of BJP’s elected representatives in Odisha is responsible for the rising crimes against women today. If you do not take action against such anti-women elected representatives, then your commitment to women will be seen as empty rhetoric,” she wrote.
Dear Modi Ji @narendramodi,
Please listen to your MLA from Odisha talking about women politicians. This is true blood bjp neta giving true salute to women. I know you have very competent and intelligent Odia officers in @PMOIndia and Party. Pl ask them to translate for you.… pic.twitter.com/l1f83N1BUO
— Lekha Samantsinghar (@DrLekhaShree) July 3, 2025
