TNI Bureau: A delegation from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), led by MLA Manmath Routray, on Tuesday filed a written complaint at the Capital Police Station in Bhubaneswar against Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, alleging that he made derogatory, casteist, and racist remarks in public.
The delegation, which included Dr. Lenin Mohanty, Pradeep Majhi, Dr. Priyabrata Majhi, Arup Srichandan, and Rocky Das, urged the police to take immediate legal action, stating that such statements were unacceptable from someone holding a constitutional office and had deeply hurt the sentiments of the people of Odisha.
The complaint refers to two separate incidents. The first relates to a remark made by the Chief Minister years ago about the complexion of tribal women. The controversy resurfaced earlier this year when Congress leaders criticised Majhi for saying that during the time of his marriage, he had sought a bride with a fairer complexion because, in his words, “tribal girls are usually not fair-skinned.”
Congress leaders Ajoy Kumar and Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka condemned the remark, calling it disrespectful and hurtful towards tribal women. They alleged that such comments reflected the BJP and RSS’s mindset and accused the Chief Minister of displaying prejudice against the community he himself belongs to. Ulaka also linked the comment to what he claimed were the Chief Minister’s long-standing ideological associations.
The second incident mentioned by the BJD concerns a recent public meeting at Khariar Road in Nuapada district, where Majhi allegedly used a vulgar phrase while referring to BJD leader V.K. Pandian. In a video circulated from the rally, the Chief Minister is heard asking the crowd, “Is he Pandu or G**du?” Opposition leaders said such language from a Chief Minister lowered the dignity of the office and reflected a decline in political discourse.
Congress leaders also criticised the state government for what they described as inaction in a separate incident in Balasore, where three Christian women were tied to a pole and forced to chant religious slogans. They argued that the Chief Minister’s past and recent remarks contributed to an environment of insensitivity.
Responding to the earlier controversy regarding the marriage comment, a BJP spokesperson said the remark was made in jest and accused Congress of distorting facts for political gain.
The BJD has requested the police to examine both incidents and take appropriate legal action. The police have yet to issue a formal statement on the complaint.