logo
Raise voice against sexual harassment: Pravati

Raise voice against sexual harassment: Pravati

Hans India4 days ago
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Wednesday urged working women to fearlessly raise their voice against sexual harassment at workplaces and fight for their rights. Speaking at an orientation programme on POSH Act (2013) at the State secretariat, Lok Seva Bhawan, Parida said, 'Sexual harassment is not a stigma or taboo. If we remain silent, we empower the harasser. Saying 'no' is your right—use it. The government stands firmly with victims.'
Parida, the only woman minister in the Mohan Charan Majhi-led BJP government, also heads the Women and Child Development department. She addressed over 600 government employees, both men and women, at the session designed to raise awareness on Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (POSH) Act.
Emphasising institutional accountability, she said, 'Strict directives have been issued to set up Internal Committees in all institutions and colleges to ensure proper implementation of the Act. Action will be taken against both offenders and those making false accusations.' Parida has been the target of the Opposition BJD and Congress over a brutal attack on a 15-year-old girl in Balanga, under her Nimapara constituency, who was set ablaze by unidentified assailants.
Taking aim at the previous BJD regime, Parida said the POSH Act had been neglected since its introduction in 2013. The orientation programme was attended by renowned lawyer Manasi Padhi, who delivered a detailed presentation on the POSH Act during two dedicated sessions. She explained the provisions, rights, responsibilities and redressal mechanisms under the Act in depth.
Opposition BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty, however, in an X post said, 'The Deputy Chief Minister must ensure that when a victim speaks, it is not met with institutional silence from the government or her party. Justice should not end with video messages, it must be delivered in action.'
He cited the case of a student from FM College, Balasore, who reportedly faced harassment but failed to get justice due to delays and inaction by the college ICC, police and political leaders.
'The common people, along with Opposition parties, are now fighting for justice for our sister. Meanwhile, a minor girl from the area represented by Madam Pravati Parida, was set ablaze and is now fighting for her life,' Mohanty said in the social media post, adding that across Odisha, incidents of sexual harassment are being reported almost daily due to the breakdown of law and order under the BJP government.
Meanwhile, in a post on X, Parida, who flew to Delhi after addressing the programme, said: 'I met the victim from Balanga, who is undergoing treatment at Delhi AIIMS. She hails from my constituency. I spoke to her family and relatives. During this visit, I discussed her health condition and treatment with the medical team and specialists providing her care. I pray to the Almighty that she recovers quickly.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Migrant worker's son and wife beaten by Delhi police; Mamata Banerjee posts video
Migrant worker's son and wife beaten by Delhi police; Mamata Banerjee posts video

United News of India

time26 minutes ago

  • United News of India

Migrant worker's son and wife beaten by Delhi police; Mamata Banerjee posts video

Kolkata July 27 (UNI): A migrant worker's wife and young son, who had travelled from West Bengal to Delhi in search of work, were allegedly assaulted by the police. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee protested against the incident by posting a video on social media. Launching an attack against the BJP-led Central Government and the ruling party in Delhi, she wrote, "Even a child is not spared from linguistic terrorism." In the video shared by the Chief Minister, a young man is seen showing injury marks on his young son's body, saying, "Look what they have done to my son. The police beat him and injured his forehead." He is also heard alleging in the video that all their essential belongings were thrown away. The man's wife also appears in the video. Pointing to her, the man says, "She too was beaten badly." However, the video has not been independently verified by UNIthand itr also does not have . Posting the video, the chief minister wrote, 'See how even a child is not spared from the cruelty of violence in the regime of linguistic terror unleashed by BJP in the country against the Bengalis! Where are they taking our country now?' The Trinamool Congress has stepped up its protest following reports of harassment faced by migrant workers from Bengal working in other states. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also warned of a larger movement if harassment of migrant workers is not stopped. The allegation is that Bengali-speaking workers, suspected of being Bangladeshis, are being detained in BJP-ruled states like Odisha, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh—even after showing documents like Aadhaar and voter ID cards. In such cases, only a 'Police Clearance Certificate' (PCC) seems to secure their release; otherwise, they are being detained. The harassment of Bengali migrant workers in Delhi and Odisha has already reached the Calcutta High Court. Against this backdrop, the ruling party in West Bengal, Trinamool, has launched a 'language movement' against the BJP starting Sunday. Tomorow Mamata Banerjee is set to participate in the Nanur Dibas program in Birbhum and will also take part in a march. She is supposed to leave for Birbhum by road on Sunday evening. UNI XC SSP

SP MP demands rollback of school merger
SP MP demands rollback of school merger

Time of India

time42 minutes ago

  • Time of India

SP MP demands rollback of school merger

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party MP from Machhlishahr Priya Saroj has written to the Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan demanding review of the policy of 'integration of schools' in Uttar Pradesh and cancellation of the merger process. In her letter, Saroj said that the policy of integration of schools was being followed in Uttar Pradesh, which seems to be against the basic spirit of the Right to Education Act (RTE Act). "Under RTE Act, there is a provision that every child between the age of 6 to 14 years should be provided free and compulsory education within one kilometre of the nearest primary school from residence. If no school is available within a radius of one kilometre, then it is the responsibility of the govt to ensure admission of the child in the nearest school," she said. She said the current policy of the UP govt was violating the spirit of the Act. "This is hindering access to school for many children, leading more dropouts. Jobs of 2.5 lakh teachers and school staff of UP are also at risk," she said.

‘Swami Karpatri true son of soil, Sanatan Dharm'
‘Swami Karpatri true son of soil, Sanatan Dharm'

Time of India

time42 minutes ago

  • Time of India

‘Swami Karpatri true son of soil, Sanatan Dharm'

Lucknow: Paying tribute to seer and revivalist Swami Karpatri Maharaj on his birth anniversary, former Union minister Shahnawaz Hussain remembered his contribution to Sanatan Dharm and demanded a nationwide ban on cow slaughter. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The programme, organised by Yuva Chetna at the Constitution Club in Delhi, was inaugurated by Swami Abhishek Brahmachari. BJP national general secretary , Union ministers Jayant Chaudhary and Shobha Karandlaje, former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, MP Neeraj Shekhar, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, BJP national spokesperson Sanjay Mayukh, and Yuva Chetna national convenor Rohit Kumar Singh were present. Swami Abhishek called Swami Karpatri the "true son of Sanatan Dharm and the country", lauding his contribution to religion and society. Arun Singh praised his efforts in preserving Indian culture, while Shobha Karandlaje criticized the Congress for opposing Sanatan Dharm. Ranjan Gogoi paid floral tributes while Neeraj Shekhar, Vijender Gupta, and Mayukh praised Swami Karpatri's legacy. Rohit Kumar Singh called him a cultural ambassador and vowed to expose Congress's "anti-national" policies. The event concluded with the felicitation of Justice Gogoi.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store