'This fight will continue, no matter what'

The Odisha assembly elections are still four years away, yet the state’s political landscape is already witnessing heightened activity — especially around issues concerning women’s safety. Over the past year, there has been a disturbing surge in crimes against women, including a sharp rise in rape and gangrape cases. The most recent tragedy occurred in Balasore, where a college student died by self-immolation after facing sexual harassment.

This case triggered a political storm across the state. The Congress party responded by calling for a statewide bandh. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), despite being the largest opposition party in the assembly, struggled to offer decisive leadership on the issue or channel public outrage effectively.

Growing public sentiment in favour of the Congress was seen during the Samvidhan Bachao rally held in Bhubaneswar on 11 July. The turnout was massive — so much so that even local media, often indifferent to Congress events, could not overlook it.

Herjinder spoke to Bhakta Charan Das, the newly appointed president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee. Excerpts:

Regardless of numbers in the assembly, the Congress seems to have emerged as the principal Opposition on the ground. How did you achieve this?

We were able to mobilise people because the issue we raised was genuine and resonated with the public. While we don’t have many MLAs in the Odisha assembly, what we do have is conviction. Among our limited representation is a single woman MLA (Sofia Firdous) whose sensitivity and understanding of women’s issues has been invaluable.

The situation in Odisha is alarming — cases of rape, including gang-rapes, are rising unabated. These are not just isolated incidents; thousands of women and children have gone missing. We began highlighting these issues from day one.

As soon as I took charge, I hit the ground running — quite literally. I arrived from Delhi and launched the Sankalp Padayatra right from Bhubaneswar airport. Over the next three days, we walked 67 km to reach Puri. Around 5,000 people joined that march.

You sustained an injury during that yatra?

Yes, my hand was fractured at the very beginning of the march. There was a massive crowd; everyone wanted to greet me with bouquets. In the chaos, I lost my balance and fell, breaking my right hand.

But I didn’t let that stop me. I continued walking with a fractured hand, taking only basic painkillers. I walked on all three days. On the fifth day [after the injury], I underwent surgery. Even now, I haven’t fully recovered — I still can’t lift my hand fully.

That moment created a sense of belief among the people. It sent a clear message that this fight will continue, no matter what. Everyone — MLAs and grassroots workers alike — has thrown themselves fully into the struggle.

There have been reports that your MLAs faced harassment inside the Vidhan Sabha.

Yes, all our MLAs were suspended from the assembly (on 25 March). In response, they began a sit-in protest. But around 2.00 am, they were forcibly removed and dumped on the road outside. Instead of intimidating us, this incident further strengthened the unity among our MLAs and energised our party workers. What was truly disappointing, though, was the inaction of the Biju Janata Dal. Despite having 51 MLAs, they failed to take a stand or play the role expected of them.

Why do you think the BJD, despite being the second-largest party, is unable to act as a true Opposition?

Because they carry the burden of 24 years of governance. They’re seen as being aligned with the BJP, not as a force of resistance. Lately, they’ve shown some activity around women’s issues — but it appears more symbolic than sincere. If they genuinely took up these issues and stood firm, the government could collapse in the next assembly session. But the truth is, they won’t allow that to happen.

The Samvidhan Bachao rally addressed by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Bhubaneswar generated a strong buzz. Why has it become such a talking point?

That rally was an overwhelming success. We took Rahulji’s message — shaped by his Bharat Jodo Yatra and his consistent stand on protecting the Constitution and ensuring social justice — to the people in a focused way. We created short video clips showing his interactions with women, children, labourers, small traders and drivers, and circulated them widely. People were genuinely moved by his sincerity and connection with common citizens. The enthusiasm was visible. We were expecting around 60,000 people, but more than a lakh turned up. In fact, the crowd outside the venue was twice the size of the one inside.

Rahulji’s speech — especially his remarks about the plight of tribals, Dalits, women and the concentration of wealth in the hands of corporates like Adani — made a strong impression on the people.

Yet, many are asking whether this massive turnout can actually translate into votes.

The answer lies in organisation. If you have an active ground-level structure, this kind of public support can absolutely be converted into votes. The first step is to create a wave of energy and attention. Rahulji’s visit created that momentum. And it’s important to note that this wasn’t a staged or artificially gathered crowd — these were genuinely mobilised supporters.

We’re now putting strong emphasis on rebuilding and energising the organisation. Earlier, people weren’t even talking about the Congress. Today, we’re part of every political conversation — often the first party people consider, even before the BJD or BJP. This revival has sparked enthusiasm within the party. People who had distanced themselves are returning. Those who were passive have become active again, and the active ones are now hyper-energised.

In fact, there’s now healthy competition to become office bearers. Many are proudly declaring, “We’ve been with the Congress for 20–30 years.” The party is alive again — and growing stronger by the day.

You mentioned earlier that leaders from other parties are joining the Congress. Is that happening on a significant scale?

Yes, definitely. Many grassroots workers have already joined us. What’s encouraging is that even prominent figures from other parties — including some from the ruling party — are reaching out. They see the tide turning and believe that the Congress can offer a credible alternative. There’s a growing sense of hope around us.

How effective was the Odisha Bandh that the Congress called for on 17 July?

It was a landmark moment. Odisha hasn’t seen such a complete and spontaneous bandh in the last 20–25 years. Roads were empty, traffic came to a halt and train services were disrupted at 16–17 locations. The traders’ associations voluntarily supported it. Government offices across the state remained largely non-functional. From the high court to local district courts, the lawyers extended full support. Employees associations and intellectuals stood with us. The scale of participation and public enthusiasm was unprecedented.

Did this stir any reaction from the government?

Absolutely. On 19 July, we had announced a grievance redressal mechanism for women. Now the government has suddenly declared that they’ll implement a similar system in every school and college. It’s clear they’re feeling the pressure and scrambling to respond to public sentiment.

The truth is, many in the current government lack administrative experience. That’s why they’ve struggled to respond effectively. But our agitation has forced them to start thinking — and acting.