A significant controversy has erupted in Madhya Pradesh following a statement made by Congress MLA Phool Singh Baraiya, linking a woman's beauty to the possibility of rape. Baraiya's remarks, made during a media interview, have drawn sharp condemnation from across the political spectrum and sparked outrage among social organizations.
Baraiya, representing the Bhander Assembly constituency in the Datia district, stated that a man's mind could be distracted by an "extremely beautiful girl," potentially leading to rape. He further asserted that the highest number of rape cases in India involve women from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). Adding to the controversy, Baraiya claimed that some religious scriptures suggest that sexual relations with women from these communities could yield "teerth phal" or "fruit of pilgrimage," implying a distorted belief system that encourages such crimes. He cited a text he referred to as Rudrayamal Tantra to support his claims. When questioned about specific scriptures, Baraiya could not provide a clear answer.
The MLA's comments, which surfaced on Saturday, January 17, 2026, coincided with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to Indore in response to the city's water contamination issue. Baraiya was seen with Gandhi in Indore.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticized Baraiya's statement, calling it a reflection of a "criminal and perverted mindset". Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed his shock at the "atrocious" statement and urged Rahul Gandhi to expel Baraiya from the Congress party. The BJP's Madhya Pradesh media in-charge, Ashish Usha Agrawal, shared the video of Baraiya's remarks on social media and demanded his expulsion, denouncing the statement as misogynistic, anti-Dalit, and a direct attack on humanity.
The Congress party has distanced itself from Baraiya's remarks. Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari stated that rape cannot be justified in any way and cannot be linked to caste or religion. He emphasized that sexual violence is a grave crime and that any attempt to rationalize it is unacceptable. Patwari also mentioned that Baraiya's statement reflected his personal opinion and that the party had asked him for clarification.
Facing severe backlash, Baraiya later attributed his statement to a Bihar philosopher, Harimohan Jha, while also claiming he doesn't agree with it personally. Despite the controversy, Baraiya has stood by his initial comments, asserting that they were made in the interest of 40 crore women from the SC and ST communities and clarified that his statement had nothing to do with the Congress or Rahul Gandhi. He cited the verse “Chandali tu swayam Kashi” (Chandali girl is Kashi herself), which he claimed is mentioned in “Rudrayamal Tantra”. He also questioned whether he should remain silent when women from SC and ST communities, including young girls, are raped.
