MUMBAI: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came under heavy fire across Maharashtra on September 5 after its Mumbai MLA Ram Kadam publicly threatened to “abduct” women and bring them to their spurned suitors for marriage.
Cutting across party lines, political leaders, women’s groups and social activists slammed the BJP demanding an unconditional apology, Kadam’s resignation from the Assembly and his arrest.
Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, a BJP ally, led the charge.
“Not only should strict action be taken against him, he should not be given a ticket by any party to contest future elections. He is a person of a low character and mentality,” Thackeray told the media.
The BJP legislator’s remarks, made after a Gokulashtami function on Monday, sparked an uproar in Maharashtra, drawing all-round condemnation.
Representing the BJP in Ghatkopar, north-east Mumbai, Kadam declared that he would abduct girls and bring them to their rejected suitors and provided his phone number as a ‘helpline’.
“If you have proposed to a girl and she has rejected you, I will help you 100 percent. Come to me with your parents and say that they approve her. Then, I will catch her and bring her to you,” Kadam boasted before the gathering.
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