BJP vs BJP In Madhya Pradesh As 'Women Cause Men's Death' Remark Triggers Row

BJP MLA Pannalal Shakya has once again triggered a controversy by claiming that "women were behind the conflicts in which men died" and invoking Sita, Draupadi and Sanyogita to link women with wars in Madhya Pradesh, with his fellow BJP MLA Priyanka Penchi to stand up and challenge him.

The confrontation took place during the Balaram Krishi Mahotsav at Guna's Nanakhedi Mandi complex. As Shakya cited the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the story of Prithviraj Chauhan to make his argument, Penchi, the BJP MLA from Chachoura, objected to what she described as an insult to women. Shakya refused to back down, telling her that he had "read many books" before asking her to "please sit down."

The exchange, captured on video, transformed an agriculture-focused government programme which Chief Minister Mohan Yadav joined virtually into the scene of an unusual public clash between two legislators of the ruling BJP.

Shakya began his speech by talking about farmers, fertilisers and electricity, but his address soon moved towards patriotism, society and eventually religious and historical examples. Invoking the Ramayana, Shakya referred to Ravana's abduction of Sita and argued that despite warnings against abducting another man's wife, Ravana went ahead and ultimately brought destruction upon himself and his kingdom.

He then cited the Mahabharata, referring to Draupadi, or Panchali, and claimed that millions of men were killed because of "one woman." Shakya followed this with the example of Prithviraj Chauhan and Sanyogita, referring to the deaths of Chauhan's chieftains during the events surrounding Sanyogita.

That was when Priyanka Penchi intervened.

The Chachoura MLA, seated on the same dais, stood and objected to Shakya's remarks, describing his characterisation as offensive to women. The disagreement quickly turned into a heated exchange in full public view. 

Shakya, however, stood by what he had said.

As Penchi protested, he asserted that he had read extensively and knew what was written in history and religious texts. "I have read many books," Shakya retorted, before asking his fellow BJP MLA to "please sit down."

Shakya has previously made contentious remarks about women.

In March 2018, Shakya offered a startling prescription while speaking about crimes against women, saying girls should stop having boyfriends. "Why do girls make boyfriends? If they stop doing this, the atrocities against them will stop," Shakya had said at an event at Guna Government College.  Barely three months later, Shakya was at the centre of another controversy. In June 2018, he said women should rather remain childless than give birth to children who were not "sanskari" and who created distortions in society. He invoked Kaushalya, the mother of Lord Ram, while speaking about the kind of children women should raise.

His controversial interventions have extended beyond women. In December 2017, Shakya questioned cricketer Virat Kohli's patriotism because Kohli and actor Anushka Sharma had chosen Italy for their wedding. Shakya argued that Kohli earned money in India but spent it abroad for his marriage and questioned why India had not been chosen for the ceremony.

In July 2024, he again made national headlines after telling students at a college event that merely obtaining degrees would achieve little and suggesting that they should instead open motorcycle puncture-repair shops to earn a livelihood.