Bhubaneswar, Dec 2 (IANS) The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday alleged that students belonging to tribal and Dalit communities living in hostels meant for them have been subjected to severe neglect since the BJP-led state government came to power in Odisha.

In a press conference held at Sankha Bhawan, the BJD headquarters, here on Tuesday, the regional party leaders claimed that six students residing in hostels in Nabarangpur district have died due to medical negligence in the past three months. The party held the state government responsible for these deaths.

Senior General Secretary of the party and former MP Pradeep Majhi noted that a seventh-grade tribal student, who was grievously injured when a pressure cooker exploded in the hostel, was denied medical treatment for nine days.

After learning of the incident, the former MP intervened personally, rescued the injured student, and ensured medical care by drawing the district administration’s attention.

Majhi said that the BJP government has completely failed to deliver good governance to the people of Odisha.

“The inefficiency of the ruling dispensation is visible across all sectors, and citizens have begun to feel the consequences. Despite having a tribal Chief Minister, it is deeply unfortunate that members of the Tribal and Dalit communities are facing the worst neglect,” he said.

Describing the pressure cooker incident as shocking, he noted that officials avoided hospitalising the boy for fear of the government’s image being damaged.

Students staying in such hostels, he alleged, are languishing under gross mismanagement; even when they fall ill, no timely treatment is provided, and ambulances are unavailable to transfer them to hospitals.

“In the last three months, six Tribal students have lost their lives due to a lack of proper medical care. In several cases, seriously ill students were transported to hospitals by auto-rickshaw, and around three of them died on the way,” alleged Majhi.

–IANS

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