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A lawmaker from prime minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come under fire for appearing to blame Australian women cricketers who alleged they were sexually harassed during a recent tour of India.

Two members of Australia’s Women’s Cricket World Cup said they were “touched inappropriately” by a member of the public in Indore, according to Cricket Australia.

The incident occurred on 23 October while the players were walking to a café in Indore city during a day off for the team following their group-stage victory over England. The man who allegedly harassed them has since been arrested, police said.

Cricket Australia said in a statement: “We can confirm two members of the Australian women’s team were approached and touched inappropriately by a motorcyclist while walking to a café in Indore. The matter was reported by team security to police, who are handling the investigation.”

Kailash Vijayvargiya, a minister in the Madhya Pradesh government, described the incident as “a lesson for all – for us and for the players as well”.

Mr Vijayvargiya, who serves as the minister for urban development, housing and parliamentary affairs in the state, faced widespread condemnation from opposition politicians and social media users for his comments, which many described as “victim blaming.”

“Whenever players go anywhere, they should at least inform the local security or administration,” he told reporters in Hindi. “Since players are very popular, they too should remain cautious about their safety wherever they travel. This incident is a lesson for everyone – for us and for the players.”

Opposition Congress party politician Arun Yadav called the remarks “disgusting and regressive”.

Singer Chinmayi Sripaada wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “BJP minister Kailash Vijayvargiya basically says here that women visiting another city or country must think about their own safety when stepping out without telling anyone. So basically it was the women’s fault.”

Several social media users also expressed anger at the minister’s remarks, accusing him of offering “distasteful” commentary instead of taking responsibility.

“What can be more pathetic?” wrote user Avishekh Goyal on X. “No accountability, no responsibility, no decency, no morals. BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya brushing off the molestation of Australian players as just ‘fan moments’ shows how this power-drunk regime sees women.”

Incidents of street harassment remain a pervasive problem in many Indian cities, where women frequently report being subjected to unwanted comments, staring, touching, and other forms of inappropriate behaviour in public spaces.

Despite stricter laws and growing public awareness, many cases go unreported due to fear of stigma or lack of effective police response.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also condemned the incident.

Calling it “a deeply regrettable and isolated incident”, BCCI vowed to “review the existing safety protocols and strengthen them, if necessary, to ensure such incidents are not repeated”.

On Monday, Maharashtra police increased security in Navi Mumbai where the women’s team will play next. Around 600 police officials have been deployed across the city, including at the team hotels and the venues.