The controversy stems from an incident that occurred two days ago, when two Australian women cricketers were subjected to sexual harassment while walking from their hotel to a nearby café. Reportedly, a man on a motorcycle approached the players and inappropriately touched one of them before fleeing the scene.
The local police, however, later managed to arrest the culprit involved in the act. Following the incident, Minister Vijayvargiya stirred outrage by shifting the blame to the victims. He stated that it was the players’ own mistake to venture out without prior intimation or security arrangements. “The Australian women cricketers went out without informing anyone — that was their fault. They will learn a lesson from this incident and will act more cautiously in the future,” he remarked.

While he admitted that the episode also reflected a failure in security, his comments appeared to absolve the offender and instead placed the burden of responsibility on the victims themselves — a stance that has drawn widespread criticism. Reacting strongly, the Congress party denounced the BJP minister’s statement, calling it a reflection of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s regressive mindset.

Congress leader Arun Yadav described the remarks as “disgusting and shameful,” asserting that such a mindset exposes the moral decay within those in power. “The entire nation is ashamed of what happened,” he added. The minister’s remarks have now ignited a larger debate in India — not just about the safety of women, but also about how those in authority choose to respond when the victims are blamed instead of the perpetrators.