Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition, attended the MP-MLA court in Lucknow, addressing a defamation case arising from contentious remarks he made about the Indian Army. UP Congress President Ajay Rai confirmed Gandhi’s presence in Lucknow for the court proceedings and stated his intention to return to Delhi afterward. In a separate incident, Gandhi addressed the death of a 20-year-old student in Balasore, Odisha, who had self-immolated. He described the death as an “organised murder by the BJP’s system,” criticizing the BJP for failing to provide the student with protection and justice, who faced ongoing threats and humiliation following her report of sexual harassment. Gandhi’s statement on X accused the BJP government of protecting the accused and urged Prime Minister Modi to address the situation to ensure the safety and justice of Indian women. Congress workers organized a protest outside AIIMS Bhubaneswar following the student’s death, which was met with police intervention. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar officially confirmed the death of the 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Odisha’s Balasore.
