Indian Minister blames Australian cricketers after harassment incident
Australia players walk off the field for lunch. PHOTO: REUTERS
Indian state minister and BJP politician Kailash Vijayvargiya has blamed the Australian women cricketers who were harassed and 'touched inappropriately' in Indore during the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, sparking widespread criticism and anger online.
The remarks came after a man was arrested for allegedly approaching two Australian players and touching them inappropriately while they were walking to a café from their hotel on Thursday — a day after Australia’s six-wicket win over England.
BBC's Geeta Pandey reported from New Delhi, Vijayvargiya called the episode “a lesson for both the authorities and the players,” suggesting that the athletes should have informed local administration before stepping out.
“Whenever a player steps out, just like when we step out, we tell a local. The players will also realise that in the future, if we step out, then we should tell the security or local administration,” he said, according to a BBC report.
He added that cricketers needed to be mindful of their popularity in India:
“There’s a craze for cricket here, like football in England. I’ve seen football players having their clothes torn… Players are very popular, so they must take care whenever they step out.”
His remarks were widely condemned online for victim-blaming and deflecting accountability from authorities responsible for player
security.
According to Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotiya, the incident was promptly reported by the team’s security officials, leading to an arrest.
“An FIR was registered, and the accused was identified and arrested following an intensive operation,” Dandotiya told ANI.
Cricket Australia deleted posts due to online harassment
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia faced a wave of online harassment after posting about the incident on X.com (formerly Twitter).
The governing body later deleted its posts to stem the flood of misogynistic comments.
We have deleted all our tweets about the horrible incident involving our players. Our emotions about what happened to them haven’t changed, but we cannot let our platform become a vessel for abuse and the most disgusting, misogynist comments that have been coming in the last hour
“We have deleted our tweets about the horrible incident involving our players. Our emotions about what happened to them haven’t changed. But we cannot let our platform become a vessel for abuse and the most disgusting, misogynistic comments,” Cricket Australia post read on October 25.
Social media users expressed solidarity with the Australian cricketers while calling out the culture of silencing women who speak out about harassment.
One user wrote: “Abused on the street and then abused online for talking about it — a pattern most Indian women are painfully familiar with.”
Abused on the street and then abused online for talking about it - a pattern most Indian women are painfully familiar with. https://t.co/3tOznhtsBC
Another commented: “This just pissed me off beyond words. They faced harassment and had to delete their statement because of the abuse that followed. Indian men really need to do better.”
This just pissed me off beyond words. Well documented harassment of an incredible sports team and they have to delete their statement because of the amount of harassment online.
We should all be really bloody ashamed of this. Indian men really need to do better. https://t.co/j9k77etb4I
Meanwhile, others like @parthpunter pointed out that India is not ready to host a world event.
India isn't civilized enough to host a world event. Period. https://t.co/zVmILbPgyX
In response, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia described the incident as “deeply regrettable and isolated,” commending local authorities for swift action.
“We appreciate the swift and effective action taken by the Madhya Pradesh Police in apprehending the accused. The law will take its due course to ensure justice is served,” he said.
“We will also review and strengthen our safety protocols to ensure such incidents are not repeated.”
The controversy has reignited debates about women’s safety in India, player security during major tournaments, and the responsibility of public officials to uphold accountability — not deflect blame.