By Sunil Jena, Editor-in-Chief
Bhubaneswar: The brutal killing of a Class IX tribal student at a KISS residential school has shaken Odisha and triggered serious questions about institutional accountability, political influence, and the silence of major political stakeholders.
The case took a dramatic turn when the Commissionerate Police ruled out an accidental death and exposed what investigators described as an attempt to project the incident as an unnatural death. As details emerged, the focus shifted to the role of KISS and its founder, Achyuta Samanta, whose institutions had earlier faced international criticism.
In 2023, KISS was reportedly disassociated from the World Anthropology Congress, while global rights organisation Survival International labelled the institution a “factory school.” These developments had already placed KISS under international scrutiny. The recent student death has now intensified attention at the national level.
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and sought a detailed action-taken report from the Odisha government. This move has significantly raised pressure on both the institution and its leadership.
Amid these developments, a political debate has gained momentum in Odisha. Opposition voices and political observers are questioning why Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik has remained silent on such a sensitive issue, particularly when it involves a tribal student.
According to political sources and commentators, unverified claims are circulating in political circles suggesting that BJD’s organisational funding may have links with institutions controlled by Achyuta Samanta. These claims, however, remain allegations and have not been independently verified.
What has added to the speculation is the absence of any strong public statement from the BJD leadership, despite the party’s long-standing emphasis on tribal welfare and social justice. Critics argue that such silence weakens moral authority, while party insiders maintain that legal processes should be allowed to take their course.
Political analysts note that over the last 18 months, despite a change of government in Odisha, no major legal action has been initiated against prominent BJD-linked figures, adding another layer to the ongoing debate on influence and accountability.
At this stage, the core issue remains justice for the victim and accountability for those responsible. Whether political silence is strategic, circumstantial, or influenced by larger power equations is a matter of interpretation—but the questions raised by this case are unlikely to fade anytime soon.
As investigations continue, public attention remains firmly fixed on whether institutions, individuals, and political parties will respond with transparency or continue to avoid direct engagement with uncomfortable questions.
