BJP defends Bhagwat, asks MP leader to withdraw 'Laxman-Rekha' comment

New Delhi: The BJP on Friday asked its leader and Madhya Pradesh Industry Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya to withdraw his remark that women who did not stay within their “limits” had to pay the price for it. “The party does not approve of the remarks and dissociates itself from it. The party has asked him to kindly withdraw the remarks,” BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told a news conference here. Vijayvargiya had said: “Ek hi shabd hai - Maryada. Maryada ka ulanghan hota hai, toh Sita-haran ho jata hai. Laxman-rekha har vyakti ki khichi gayi hai. Us Laxman-rekha ko koi bhi par karega, toh Rawan samne baitha hai, woh Sita-haran karke le jayega. (One has to abide by certain moral limits. If you cross this limit you will be punished, just like Sita was abducted by Ravana).” [caption id=“attachment_578312” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Ravi Shankar Prasad. Reuters[/caption] However, the party defended RSS chief over his controversial comment that ‘rape rampant in India not Bharat’. Prasad said, “Bhagwatji’s statement has been misinterpreted. His comments should be seen and understood in its entirety, he had referred to India’s sanskar where respect for women occupies a pride place.” He spoke about the need to make strong laws, safety of women and respect for women, Prasad said, adding, “Women empowerment, women respect forms the core of the RSS.” The remark of the BJP minister comes as widespread protests have broken out all over the country following the 16 December brutal gang-rape of a young woman in Delhi that led to her death 13 days later. With inputs from IANS