Congress observes one-minute silence to honor Balasore tragedy victim

Bhubaneswar: The Congress party Thursday observed a one-minute silent prayer demanding justice for the 20-year-old woman student of a college in Balasore who died by self-immolation.The Congress leaders and supporters have observed the silent prayer here at the party state headquarters and several other places, including educational institutions and the party’s branch offices.Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Bhakta Charan Das later joined the ‘Shradhanjali Sabha’ organised here in front of Utkal University.Speaking to media persons, Das said, “We had appealed to people, including students, to observe a one-minute prayer to provide justice at 9 am Thursday. Prayers have been organised in different places and in educational institutes as a symbolic event.”As the victim was a student, ‘Shradhanjali Sabha’ has been organised in front of Utkal University, he said.Later, the party launched a mobile app to redress the grievances of women of the state.“On the ‘Ekadashah’ of the Balasore victim, we have launched the app to help and support the women in distress. We created the app because in many cases the police are not hearing the issues of the women, who have become victims of rape and other atrocities,” said Minakshi Bahinipati, OPCC women’s wing president.The party would continue to fight for the rights of the women of the state and to provide justice to them, she said.The B.Ed student of FM College in Balasore set herself ablaze on the college campus July 12 and died at AIIMS Bhubaneswar July 14.