An Indian minister’s comment that two female Australian cricketers, who were “touched inappropriately” last week, should’ve informed authorities before leaving their hotel has sparked a row with many accusing him of victim blaming.
The incident occurred in Indore in Madhya Pradesh state on Thursday as the players were walking to a cafe. Police said the man who harassed them has been arrested.
India’s cricket board condemned the incident, which has sparked an outpouring of anger globally.
But Kailash Vijayvargiya, a state minister, raked up a controversy by saying this was “a lesson for authorities as well as the players” who should have informed the security or administration before going out.
Street harassment of women in India is rampant, but Thursday’s incident made headlines as it involved international players visiting the country for a high-profile tournament, the Women’s World Cup.
Cricket Australia said in a statement that the players “were approached and touched inappropriately by a motorcyclist” the morning after Australia had beaten England.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was quick to condemn the harassment, calling it “a deeply regrettable and isolated incident”. It also vowed to “review the existing safety protocols and strengthen them, if necessary, to ensure such incidents are not repeated”.
Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar demanded swift punishment for the man who harassed the players. “You lock him up and throw the keys away. That’s the only way such criminals should be treated,” he told India Today TV channel.
But Vijayvargiya, who looks after urban development and housing and parliamentary affairs in the state’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, seemed to put some of the onus on the players themselves to ensure they remained safe.
“Whenever a player steps out, just like when we step out, we tell a local. The players will also realise that in the future, if we step out, then we should tell the security or local administration,” Vijayvargiya told reporters on Sunday.
He went on to add that players should be cautious while stepping out since they have a huge fan following.
“There’s a craze for cricket here, like there is for football in England. I have seen football players having their clothes torn… So sometimes players don’t realise their own popularity. Players are very popular, so they must take care whenever they step out.”
Vijayvargiya’s comments have made headlines in India where many have accused him of victim blaming and the minister has been called out for his statements by opposition politicians, media and many citizens.
Opposition Congress party leader Arun Yadav called his statements “disgusting and regressive” while singer Chinmayi Sripaada accused him of victim blaming.
“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,” she wrote on X.
Another user wrote that “at a time when India’s image has already taken a hit due to this shameful incident, such victim-blaming comments from a public representative only deepen the embarrassment”.
“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.”
Vijayvargiya later described the incident as “shameful”and said strict action had been taken, but added that the players should have informed their security officer before going out.
This is not the first time Vijayvargiya has made news for statements that have been construed by many as being offensive to women.
A few months back, he had made headlines for saying he didn’t like women wearing short or revealing clothes and that in the past, he’d refused to take photographs with them.
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