In an official response, the Congress said that rape is a criminal act with no connection to caste or religion, and perpetrators must be punished strictly under the law. Citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, the party said Madhya Pradesh reports an average of 22 rape cases daily, calling it a serious failure of law and order. The Congress appealed to citizens and institutions to work collectively to ensure women’s safety.
The party further stated that it has sought an explanation from Baraiya and reiterated that any attempt to justify or communalise crimes against women is unacceptable.
Opposition to the MLA intensified across social and religious groups. Pushpendra Mishra, state president of the Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Samaj, termed Baraiya’s statement “shameless, ill-conceived and socially divisive.” He alleged that the MLA has a history of making objectionable remarks against different communities and questioned his fitness for public life.
Mishra demanded that Baraiya clarify which religious text allegedly supports his claim, asserting that no scripture promotes such thinking. He warned that if a public apology is not issued, effigies will be burnt across several locations as a mark of protest.
The Brahmin Samaj also targeted the Congress leadership, urging Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to take immediate action against the MLA. The organisation warned that silence from the party would be seen as endorsement and could invite political consequences.
Condemnation also came from Hindu organisations. Chandrashekhar Tiwari, president of the Hindu Utsav Samiti and Sanskriti Bachao Manch, described the remark as reflecting a “depraved mindset.” He said that Sanatan Dharma places women on a pedestal, and no Veda or Purana contains any reference linking sexual violence to salvation or religious merit.
Tiwari alleged that the statement was intended to defame Sanatan Dharma and deepen caste divisions, adding that his organisation would intensify protests if an unconditional apology is not issued.
As controversy deepens, political observers say the episode has placed the Congress under pressure to act decisively, with the matter likely to have wider social and political repercussions in the region.
