Row as MP Cong MLA links rape to ‘beauty’, cites ‘reward’ in scriptures

gress MLA Phool Singh Baraiya hasstirred a massive controversy by linking sexual violence to “beauty” , and claiming that certain religious scriptures incentivise assault on marginalised women as form of “teerth phal” or “fruit of pilgrimage”.

- Shruti Tomar

“In India, most rapes are committed against Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Most Backward Classes. The theory of rape is that if any man, regardless of their mental state, sees a beautiful woman while walking down the street, their brain might become disturbed, and a rape could occur. Are there exceptionally beautiful women among the tribals or SCs? Are there such beautiful women among the MBCs? Why does rape happen? Because their religious texts contain such instructions,” the Congress