Daijiworld Media Network - Bhopal
Bhopal, Jan 17: Congress MLA Phool Singh Baraiya from Bhander in Madhya Pradesh triggered a major political controversy after claiming that most rape cases in India occur within Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities, drawing sharp criticism across party lines.
Baraiya went further to offer what he described as a “theory” behind rape, stating that a man’s mind could get “distracted” if he sees an “extremely beautiful woman” while travelling, which, according to him, could lead to sexual violence. He also controversially suggested that women from backward communities are targeted due to what he termed a “distorted belief system” rooted in ancient scriptures.
Claiming that perpetrators believe sexual violence against women of certain castes brings spiritual merit akin to undertaking a pilgrimage, Baraiya said, “Who are the victims of rape in India? Mostly women belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, and the OBCs. The theory of rape is that if a man, regardless of his mental state, is walking down the road and sees a beautiful girl, he can get distracted and rape a woman.”
In an even more shocking remark, the MLA alleged that women from backward communities are “not even beautiful” but are still raped because of what he claimed is written in their scriptures. He further said that rape is often committed by groups rather than individuals and even referred to cases involving infants, attributing such crimes to a “mindset” allegedly influenced by religious texts associated with Dalits.
Following the outrage, the Congress moved quickly to distance itself from Baraiya’s remarks. Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari said there was no justification for rape under any circumstances. “Rape is a heinous crime. Anyone who commits rape is a criminal. It cannot be linked to caste or religion in any manner,” Patwari said, asserting that attempts to rationalise such crimes are unacceptable.
The BJP launched a scathing attack on the Congress MLA, branding his comments as “shameful and shocking”. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took to X, sharing a photograph of Baraiya with Rahul Gandhi, and alleged that the MLA was being “patronised from the top”.
Madhya Pradesh BJP media in-charge Ashish Agarwal said the remarks reflected a deeper ideological mindset rather than a slip of the tongue. “Weighing women on the scale of ‘beauty’ and portraying heinous crimes against Dalit and tribal women as some kind of sacred act is misogynistic, anti-Dalit and a direct assault on humanity,” he said.