A new political storm rages in Madhya Pradesh after Phool Singh Baraiya, a Congress MLA from the Bhander constituency in Datia, made some very controversial and bizarre statements relating to the idea of raping women’s beauty. The claims, from a media interview which aired Saturday, January 17, 2026, have been slammed by both ruling BJP and social organisations.
The 'Distraction' Theory
In a video that has gone viral since, Baraiya explains his “theory” as to why sexual assaults take place. He said rape happens when a man’s mind is “distracted” by a woman’s appearance. “The theory of rape is if a man is walking on the road and a beautiful girl, really beautiful, he might be distracted. So, rape can then occur,” said Baraiya.
He further elaborated on this to argue that because (according to him) women from the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) are presented in a way that, if not being seen with such "extremely beautiful" color, then the high number of rapes against these communities might be caused by something else.
The 'Teerth Phal' Controversy
Explaining the high number of offenses against Dalit and Tribal women, Baraiya went from a physical “beauty” theory to a complete “scriptural” one. Sexual crimes against such oppressed women, he claimed, actually are promoted by distorted readings of ancient scriptures. He even coined the phrase "Teerth Phal" or the fruit of pilgrimage; he argued that various texts lead to the conclusion that intercourse with women of certain "low" castes brings the same spiritual gratification as travelling on a pilgrimage.
No evidence
When reporters pressed Baraiya for a specific scripture or verse which his character makes, he failed to give an answer instead, he offered a vague interpretation of a verse in Sanskrit.
The “Multiple Rapists” Claim
He even expanded on that idea to introduce an explosive take on gang rape, a claim that a man cannot rape a woman without her consent alone, that “groups” are what he calls when the people involved are looking to overpower victims in order to benefit themselves off “a spiritual reward”.
The Political Fallout and Reaction
The comments have left the Congress party in a difficult spot, particularly after the comments were made during senior leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Indore. BJP’s Stance: The BJP ruling has denounced the comments as "misogynistic" and "anti-Hindu." To the BJP leadership, there is no doubt that Rahul Gandhi should call on him to fire Baraiya from the party and that the MLA has trivialized a heinous crime to incite communal/caste-based hatred.
Public outcry: Activists and women’s groups of rights campaigners condemn it being “a victim blaming” and “the victim blaming” theory is “distraction”, noting that It shifts the burden of responsibility onto a person's appearance.
A History of Controversial Statements?
The controversy is hardly new for Phool Singh Baraiya with his provocative comments. Having been previously a MP and once a prominent Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader, Baraiya once wielded violent rhetoric against caste dynamics in North India. Nonetheless, for years now, the “rape theory,” or the latter was viewed as a new low in political discourse.
