Sakshi Misra posted a video claiming she was in danger from her father for marrying outside her caste
Highlights
- Sakshi Misra said she was threatened by father over inter-caste marriage
- Had posted a video claiming he had sent goons after her
- Such events will lead to rise in female infanticide: BJP's Gopal Bhargava
A BJP lawmaker has posted a series of bizarre and shocking comments on a party leader's daughter who made headlines after posting an SOS on social media accusing her father of threatening her for marrying outside her caste. In a series of tweets on Sunday, Gopal Bhargava, the Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh, said such incidents would lead to an unprecedented rise in female infanticides and poor gender ratio.
"I believe with such news reports there will be an unprecedented rise in female infanticide and a skewed gender ratio, which will clearly be seen in social surveys. There will be illegal abortions in nursing homes and private hospitals," Gopal Bhargava tweeted in Hindi.
Referring to unnamed TV channels, Mr Bhargava also wrote that to boost ratings and to make money, these were involved in anti-social and anti-national activities. "Their action will ensure that the decade-old Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign will be set back by 50 years," he posted, calling it his "personal view as a citizen".
In yet another tweet, he said channels were making fun of a distraught father and family over a modern version of "Laila-Majnu (legendary star-crossed couple)".
The tweets revolve around Sakshi Misra, 23, the daughter of Uttar Pradesh BJP lawmaker Rajesh Misra. Last week, she posted a video claiming she was in danger from her father for marrying a man outside her caste and asking for protection.
One of the tweets on the thread posted by Gopal Bhargava
Sakshi Misra and her husband Ajitesh Kumar, who is from a scheduled caste, have asked the Allahabad High Court for police protection. Ajitesh Kumar was attacked outside the court today.
In her video, Sakshi Misra said, referring to her father and brother: "Papa and Vicky, I mean Honourable MLA Pappu Bhartaul ji and Vicky Bhartaul ji, please live and let us live in peace..."Papa, you have sent your goons after me...like Rajiv Rana... I am tired... We are tired of running around and our life is in danger. Vicky and Papa, stop troubling Abhi and his relatives. You live in peace, do politics. I want to be happy and free," she says in the video. The BJP lawmaker has denied his daughter's charge.
Gopal Bhargava told NDTV that this was his opinion - not the party's -- and that he was not against freedom of choice or inter-caste marriages but the way the entire episode is being covered by media.
But the state's ruling Congress didn't buy the clarification. "BJP wants youth votes but its leaders are forcing the youngsters into dark ages. What he has tweeted is reflective of his regressive and fascist mindset and the new India being created by the BJP-led government," said Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja.