Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government expressed disappointment on Monday regarding West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s suggestion for female boarders to refrain from going out late at night. Odisha’s Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who oversees the Women and Child Development department, criticized Banerjee’s counsel, stating, “A woman leader like Mamata Banerjee, known as ‘Didi’ and serving as a female Chief Minister, has let down women with her remark that girls should stay indoors at night. Her statement has not only surprised me but also the nearly five crore women of West Bengal. It has shocked and insulted all women,” Parida wrote in a post on X.
She added, “Instead of providing justice for the victim, the West Bengal Chief Minister has no right to perpetuate gender inequality or question the rights of young women. Furthermore, if there is a lack of compassion for an Odia girl who is a victim, let them reach out to the Odisha government. We can take care of our children even in your State.” Parida also remarked that it is “extremely condemnable not to feel ashamed.” She questioned, “If girls cannot expect empathy, safety, and their rights from a female Chief Minister, then from whom will they seek it?” Banerjee stated on Sunday that “students in hostels, especially those from outside West Bengal, are required to adhere to hostel rules.
They should avoid going out late at night, although they possess the fundamental right to go wherever they choose.” This comment followed the alleged gang-rape of a student from a private medical college in Durgapur, who is originally from Odisha and was out with a friend for dinner on Friday night. In another post, Parida emphasized, “Women empowerment is not merely a scheme; it is a commitment to the cause.” Earlier, a team from the Odisha State Commission for Women, led by chairperson Sovana Mohanty, departed for West Bengal on Monday to visit the medical student receiving treatment in Durgapur after the incident.