"Petty mindset," Dharmendra Pradhan slams Rahul Gandhi for politicising Balasore self-immolation case

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday strongly criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his comments on the death of a 20-year-old student in Odisha's Balasore. Pradhan accused Gandhi of playing "cheap politics" over a sensitive issue and demanded an apology.

He said the incident had shaken the entire nation, but Congress was using it for political gain, accusing Gandhi of having a "petty mindset."

In a post on X, Dharmendra Pradhan wrote, "The cheap politics played by Rahul Gandhi and Congress on the tragic incident involving Odisha's daughter is extremely unfortunate. Turning a serious and sensitive matter into a political weapon reflects@RahulGandhi's petty mindset. The incident in Odisha has shaken the entire nation, but Congress has seized this opportunity to bake its political bread."



Pradhan asserted that the BJP and Prime Minister Modi have always worked for women's safety and justice, and assured that the Odisha government will take strict action against those responsible.

"Prime Minister Modi ji and the BJP have always taken concrete steps for women's safety and justice, while Congress has consistently sought opportunities in every tragedy. On this incident, the Odisha government stands with the victim's family with full sensitivity, and the strictest action will be taken against the culprits; no one will be spared. However, this is not the time for cheap politics but for ensuring justice for the victim's family. Rahul Gandhi should immediately apologise to the victim's family for his irresponsible statement," the post reads.

Pradhan's remarks come after Rahul Gandhi had earlier called the student's death an "organised murder by the BJP's system," blaming the government for failing to protect her.

Gandhi alleged that the student, who set herself on fire after facing sexual harassment, was subjected to repeated threats, torments and humiliation instead of receiving justice.

In a post on X, LoP Gandhi wrote, "The death of a daughter fighting for justice in Odisha is nothing less than a murder by the BJP's system. That brave student raised her voice against sexual harassment, but instead of delivering justice, she was threatened, tormented, and repeatedly humiliated. Those who were supposed to protect her kept breaking her."

The LoP accused the BJP government of shielding the accused and called on Prime Minister Modi to break his silence, ensuring safety and justice for the daughters of India.

"As always, the BJP's system continued to shield the accused and forced an innocent daughter to set herself on fire. This is not suicide; it is an organised murder by the system. Modi ji, whether in Odisha or Manipur, the daughters of the nation are burning, breaking, and dying. And you? You remain silent. The country doesn't need your silence; it needs answers. India's daughters need safety and justice," the post reads.

On Monday, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar confirmed the death of the 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Odisha's Balasore, who had attempted self-immolation.

The Department of Burn Centre, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, said in a statement that the patient was brought to the casualty on July 12 and was referred from Balasore District Headquarters Hospital to AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

The 20-year-old student set herself on fire after allegedly facing prolonged sexual harassment by her college's Head of Department. Despite lodging a formal complaint and seeking help from the principal, her pleas were ignored, leading to the tragic incident. The incident occurred at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College.