Mon Feb 03 16:26:27 UTC 2025: ## Odisha CM Accused of Insensitive Remarks Against Tribal Women
**Bhubaneswar, February 3, 2025** – Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is facing strong criticism from the Congress party for allegedly making offensive remarks against tribal women. Congress leaders Ajoy Kumar and Sapatagiri Ulaka accused Mr. Majhi, himself a member of a tribal community, of publicly stating a preference for a fairer-skinned bride, implying that tribal women are not fair-skinned and therefore undesirable.
Mr. Kumar, addressing a press conference in New Delhi, condemned the remarks as inappropriate and indicative of a broader pattern of insensitivity towards women within the BJP. He questioned the seriousness of the police’s response to crimes against women given the Chief Minister’s alleged comments.
Mr. Ulaka went further, linking Mr. Majhi’s statements to the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), alleging that the CM’s remarks reflect a belief within the RSS that tribal people are inherently unclean. He also highlighted Mr. Majhi’s past alleged support for Dara Singh, convicted of burning alive Australian missionary Graham Staines and his sons. Both Congress leaders criticized the government’s response to a recent incident where three women were allegedly tied to a pole and forced to chant “Jay Shri Ram.”
A BJP spokesperson responded by accusing the Congress of twisting Mr. Majhi’s words for political gain, characterizing the remarks as an “innocent remark made in jest.” The controversy follows the recent appointment of a tribal President of India and tribal Chief Ministers in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, highlighting the complexities of representation and political discourse within India’s tribal communities.
First Piper 