“Lesson for them”- MP minister says Australian women’s players should’ve informed local security before going out

Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has triggered a huge controversy by saying that the Australian women’s players should’ve informed the local security before venturing out on their own.

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The ICC Women's World Cup spirit has been overshadowed by a terrible crime in Indore, when two well-known Australian women cricket players were allegedly assaulted by a motorcycle close to their accommodation. Serious concerns have been raised regarding the state's security system as a result of the occurrence, which happened in full public view.

Within hours after the report, Aqeel, alias Naitra, a 29-year-old serial criminal from Khajrana, was taken into custody, according to the police.

But rather than concentrating only on the police error, Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya's comments have provoked new indignation. According to Vijayvargiya, the players ought to take the occurrence as a lesson.

"Whenever any player goes anywhere, even when we go out, we always inform at least one local person. I think this will remind the players that in the future, if we leave our venue, we should inform our security or local administration before leaving, as there is a huge craze for cricket players. Cricket is a sport like football in England. I have seen football players' clothes being torn. We were staying at the hotel and having coffee. So many young men came over. Someone was asking for autographs from a famous player. A girl kissed him, and his clothes got torn. He was a very famous football player,” Vijayvargiya said, as per NDTV.

Vijayvargiya further added, "Sometimes, players don't realize their popularity. Players are very popular, so they should be careful. This incident has happened; it's a lesson for everyone. It's a lesson for us and for the players as well."

Speaking with NDTV, he emphasized that "while there was a security lapse, it was also the players' responsibility" to notify local authorities before leaving. "They didn't inform anyone; they didn't tell anyone. But they will learn a lesson from this incident and stay cautious in the future,” he stated.

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His comments have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and women's rights groups. Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Arun Yadav slammed the statement as "disgusting and regressive.”

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