'Lesson for all': MP minister's remarks on harassment of Australian women cricketers draws flak

Vijayvargiya, however, later clarified that the state government had taken the matter seriously.

Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has come under sharp criticism after suggesting that two Australian women cricketers, who were allegedly harassed in Indore last week, should have informed local authorities or security personnel before stepping out.

Calling the episode “a lesson for all,” the Urban Development and Housing Minister said players must be cautious about their public appearances given their immense popularity.

“Whenever a player goes out, they should inform the local administration or security, just as we do. There’s a huge craze for cricket here, and players often underestimate their fame. This incident is a lesson for everyone — for us and for the players too,” he told while interacting with the media on Sunday.

His comments quickly drew strong condemnation from Congress, which called them “unfortunate and disgusting.”

Senior Congress leader Arun Yadav said the incident had already “tarnished the image of Madhya Pradesh and the country at the international level,” and accused Vijayvargiya of deflecting attention from the government’s failure to ensure women’s safety.

Vijayvargiya, however, later clarified that the state government had taken the matter seriously.

As cited by The Indian Express, he stated, “It’s a shameful incident, and strict action has been taken. All legal provisions have been invoked, and the investigation is underway. The players’ security officers were not informed before they went out, and we’ve learned lessons from this to prevent such incidents in the future.”

According to police, the two Australian players were staying at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Indore and were walking towards a nearby café on Thursday morning when a man on a motorcycle followed them, allegedly touched one of them inappropriately, and fled. The team’s security manager, Danny Simmons, lodged a complaint soon after receiving a distress alert from one of the players.

The accused, identified as 29-year-old Aqeel alias Naitra from Khajrana, was arrested within hours. Police said he is a known offender.

Cricket Australia confirmed that the players were “approached and touched inappropriately” and that a complaint had been filed through the team’s security officer.