February 21st 2025.
During a session at the Odisha Assembly, members from different political parties joined together to express their strong condemnation towards the recent mistreatment of Nepalese students. The incident was sparked by the tragic death of a 20-year-old girl in the women's hostel of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT). The opposition parties, BJD and Congress, walked out of the House, demanding a judicial probe into the matter.
The Higher Education Minister, Suryabanshi Suraj, was questioned by the opposition members about the government's response to the incident and their demand for a judicial inquiry. The minister assured the House that appropriate action will be taken against those responsible, in accordance with the law and the findings of the investigation. He also mentioned that while the police were investigating the criminal aspects of the case, a high-level committee of the state government was looking into the lapses and other concerns related to the incident.
All major parties, including the ruling BJP, Congress, and BJD, expressed their deep concern about the incident and agreed that it had brought shame to both Odisha and India. The Higher Education Minister described the mistreatment of Nepalese students as barbaric and assured the House that strict action will be taken against those responsible for the girl's suicide and the harassment of students from Nepal. He refuted the opposition's claims that the government was under pressure from unknown forces, causing a delay in taking action against the culprits. He also denied the allegations that the accused in the girl's suicide case had ties to the ruling BJP.
The minister informed the House that both the Odisha Chief Minister and the central government were taking the matter seriously and were closely monitoring the developments. He assured that the India-Nepal relations will not be strained over this issue as the state government had acted promptly. He also mentioned that Nepalese officials, including their Foreign Affairs Minister, had appreciated Odisha's steps in handling the situation.
The minister confirmed that the government had taken measures to ensure the safety of Nepalese students and urged them to return to the campus. He also informed the House that a high-level committee had summoned eight senior KIIT functionaries for a hearing on the matter. The government has also assured Nepalese students that it will cover their travel expenses and arrange remedial classes to compensate for their lost studies. The minister also stated that the government will pay special attention to prevent any future reprisals against Nepalese students by KIIT.
During the debate, Congress member Taraprasad Bahinipati demanded a judicial inquiry and the immediate arrest of KIIT's founder Achyuta Samanta, whom he accused of tarnishing the image of Odisha and India. He also brought up the incident where the institution had declared sine die against a particular community of students, which is highly unacceptable. Similarly, Congress member Ashok Das claimed that the Nepalese girl had lodged complaints against the accused youth six times, but the authorities had ignored them, resulting in this tragedy.
BJD member Ganeswar Behera held the KIIT management responsible for the entire incident and highlighted the human rights violations taking place in the private institute. He also expressed his concern about the strained relationship between India and Nepal due to this incident. BJD member Kalikesh Singh Deo stated that the Home Department should address the debate as the incident was primarily a law-and-order issue. He also criticized the state government for the police's failure to intervene promptly and stop the attacks on Nepalese students.
BJP member Babu Singh demanded strict action against KIIT's founder, Achyuta Samanta, for misleading society under the guise of education, tribal welfare, and devotion to Lord Jagannath. The session ended with members from all parties expressing their grief over the tragedy and demanding justice for the victim and the Nepalese students.
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