Lucknow: This weekend when people from all over the nation came out into the streets to voice their uproar against the horrific incidents of rape in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao districts, the BJP MP from Unnao – Sakshi Maharaj – was busy inaugurating a night club named 'Let's Meet'.
Ironically, the ultra-conservative seer-turned-politician has always railed against partying. A few months ago, he had blamed “vulgar behaviour” by couples at public places for rapes. "Girls and boys' vulgar behaviour at public places leads to rape and they should be put behind bars," he had said.
Among his long list of Hindutva hardline comments is also gems like Hindu women should have four children and then "give one to the army and one to 'us' religious leaders". He had also advocated for rape convict and self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. He had claimed, "While one person has accused him of rape, thousands revere him as a living god."
So on Sunday, when asked how he lowered to his bar of orthodoxy and inaugurated the club in Aliganj, an embarrassed Maharaj claimed to have been 'tricked'.
He has also filed a complaint with the BJP state president Mahendra Nath Pandey against former UP state president Rajjan Singh, who he said had urged him to go for the inauguration. "I was told that it's just a restaurant. There wasn't any mention of a night club," said the red-faced Maharaj.
Last week, the government drew vehement criticism for the lack of security of women and the dwindling law and order system currently prevalent in the country.
From Bollywood stars to retired bureaucrats, the Modi government was pelted with heavy condemnation for its silence and apparent reluctance to act against its MLA.
Taking a jibe at BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, Samajwadi Party MLC Sunil Singh Sajan said, “He is not just a Sadhu but also a saint, and all these saints in BJP are of similar character. Such people have demolished the faith of people in Sadhu and Saints.”
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