BJP MLA to women: Don't make boyfriends, atrocities will stop
What's the story
A recent report claimed that in the first 45 days of 2018, there were 243 rape cases, 19 deaths due to dowry and 315 molestation cases.
Despite these figures, BJP MLA PL Shakya doesn't believe that women in India are subjected to any form of atrocities.
He also has bizarre advice for girls to check possible crimes: 'Avoid making boyfriends.'
Here's more on what he said.
Shakya's contention
Why doesn't Shakya believe the statistics?
The Guna MLA dismissed the statistics about the escalating levels of violence against women. He said, "In our country, women are worshipped four times. How can we believe that women are being subjected to atrocities? The statistics are misleading."
He followed this up with unsolicited advice, "When girls don't have boyfriends, there will be no harassment." He added, "Boys, too, shouldn't have girlfriends."
Moral police
Shakya has done moral policing before, too
It seems Shakya is in the habit of making weird accusations.
In 2017, he declared Indian skipper Virat Kohli and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma's wedding "unpatriotic" as they got hitched in Italy.
He had said that, "Ram, Krishna, Yudhishthira married in India. No one goes to a foreign land to get married. Virat earned his money and fame in India and took it abroad."