Kailash Vijayvargiya, a state minister in Madhya Pradesh, India under siege. His recent controversial comments surrounding the harassment of Australian cricket players have landed him in red hot water. The first such incident occurred in Indore on Thursday. This was hardly 24 hours after the Australian team was hailed for defeating England, winning the Women’s World Cup. As these players made their way on foot to the café, they were reportedly blocked by the motorcyclist and faced unwanted sexual advances, resulting in public outrage.
Vijayvargiya, who is in charge of the BJP’s urban development, housing and parliamentary affairs ministries. His recommendation would be for the players to notify their security officer before going out on their own. He called the attack “shameful” and signaled that the government had acted severely in punishing the assailant.
So every time a player steps out, just like when we step out, we give our first local shout out to a local. And the players soon won’t realize that if we come out in the future, we need to notify the security or city government. This is extremely important for our safety and deconfliction. said Vijayvargiya, emphasizing personal responsibility.
His comments have been met with fierce rebuke by opposition politicians, media personalities, and Russian citizens. That’s why so many people crying foul at him assume he is victim blaming. They say his comments continue to blame the harasser and put the spotlight on their victims. Vijayvargiya’s regressive views on women’s attire have drawn ire from critics. He unabashedly articulated his disdain for women wearing anything less than knee-length or other form-revealing clothing and even said he wouldn’t pose with women wearing such garb.
Chinmayi Sripaada, an outspoken critic, stated, “BJP Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya basically says here that women visiting another city/country must be worried/concerned/think about their own safety when stepping out without telling anyone. So basically it was the women’s fault.”
The outrage was exacerbated when cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar clamored for merciless punishment for the attacker. He asserted, “You lock him up and throw the keys away. That’s the only way such criminals should be treated.”
In response to the incident, Cricket Australia condemned the harassment of its players and reinforced its commitment to ensuring their safety. The incident has garnered international condemnation as it shines a light on the epidemic of street harassment in India, especially against women. India’s cricket board condemned the behavior, underscoring the need for societal change.
This incident echoes larger conversations in India about the systemic denial of safety and accountability that women and marginalized communities face. Street harassment is a pervasive problem across all parts of the country. This problem extends beyond women’s experiences to anyone who feels vulnerable when moving through public spaces.
Criticism of Vijayvargiya’s comments has been pouring in quickly. Clearly, many millions are calling on public leaders to take a more compassionate, empathetic seat at the table when addressing tough issues. One unnamed source remarked, “Instead of defending the city’s dignity and condemning the culprits, the minister chose to lecture the victims, a response both tone-deaf and unbecoming of his office.”
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