While many questioned the safety of women others wondered what would the MLA do if someone wanted to marry his daughter. (Source: File Photo) While many questioned the safety of women others wondered what would the MLA do if someone wanted to marry his daughter. (Source: File Photo) A BJP MLA in Maharashtra sparked a controversy after a video of him allegedly promising to kidnap women for men who want to marry them went viral. While addressing a large crowd at a dahi handi event, Ram Kadam from Mumbai’s Ghatkopar constituency, is heard saying, “You can call me.. if you call me saying I have proposed a girl and need your help.. I will definitely help you.. I will call your parents and ask them…If they say they like that girl then… I will kidnap that girl and give it you.. now take my number.” ALSO READ | #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer: Women on Twitter take Goa CM Manohar Parrikar’s statement down a peg NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad shared the video on Twitter, where Kadam is seen talking to the men in the crowd and allegedly making the claims. He offers his telephone number and tells the people sitting around that they can call him for help at any time. The video, which went viral, has created quite a buzz on social media with many disturbed by the alleged comment made by the MLA. While many questioned the safety of women others wondered what would the MLA do if someone wanted to marry his daughter. Here are some of the comments trending on the Internet: What if someone says he wants to marry his daughter? Will he help?? https://t.co/GDU6koYkgV — Narsi Benwal (@NarsiBenwal) September 4, 2018 What’s wrong with the crowd. Don’t they have sisters or daughters. https://t.co/uxvjQaluB9 — Avantika Shukla (@avi_1801) September 5, 2018 Mumbai: BJP MLA Ram Kadam promises to ‘kidnap girls’ who reject marriage proposals 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️ https://t.co/ah1yUaNTOB — DJ Proof (@officialdjproof) September 4, 2018 BJP MLA Ram Kadam has promised to help boys kidnap girls who decline their proposal. Ok, nothing new. Except that his name is Ram. pic.twitter.com/V7jlvYCi9v — Punster® (@Pun_Starr) September 5, 2018<doc-sep>A lawmaker of the ruling BJP in Maharashtra has apparently told youngsters he would "kidnap" the girl they like even if she says no to their proposal. Ram Kadam made the comments at a 'dahi handi' event in his suburban Ghatkopar assembly constituency in Mumbai Monday night. "You (youngsters) can meet me for any work," he is heard in a video clip as telling the crowd, mainly comprising the youth. Kadam went further, saying he has received requests from youngsters to help them after girls rejected their proposal. "I will help, 100 per cent. Come (to me) with your parents. What will I do if parents approve? I will kidnap the girl concerned and hand her over to you (for marriage)," he is heard telling the crowd. Kadam is also heard sharing his mobile number with the crowd. When asked about the video clip, Kadam said his comments have been distorted. However, his remarks drew a sharp reaction from the NCP, which said the comments brought to fore the "Ravana-like" face of the ruling party. Maharashtra NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said Kadam was speaking about abducting girls. "What Kadam said has revealed the Ravana-like face of the BJP. Kadam said he would abduct a girl for a boy. Therefore, he should be called as 'Ravana' Kadam," Malik told reporters.<doc-sep>BJP state spokesperson Madhav Bhandari played down Ram Kadam's remark. The Maharashtra BJP accused the Opposition Wednesday of being less concerned about the people's issues and instead fuelling the controversy over its lawmaker Ram Kadam's anti-women remarks, even as ally Shiv Sena demanded strict action against the legislator. The BJP MLA on Monday night bragged to young men that he would "kidnap" a girl they like, if she rejects their proposal, but had later expressed regrets over his remarks made at a "Dahi Handi" event in his Ghatkopar assembly constituency. With Ram Kadam's remarks triggering an "outrage", the MNS and NCP Wednesday likened him to demon king Ravan for making the anti-women remark. BJP state spokesperson Madhav Bhandari played down Mr Kadam's remark, saying as the MLA has expressed regret over it, the matter is over. "After Kadam regretted his comments, the chapter is over for the party now. He has tweeted about it, so there is no need to comment on it," Mr Bhandari said. Asked about the Opposition slamming the MLA and targeting the BJP, he said, "The opposition parties are not concerned about the 'real issues' of the state. They do not want to take any stand over issues that matter, hence they are continuing their tirade against Kadam." Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, whose party is an ally of the BJP at the centre and in Maharashtra, however, dared Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to show "courage" and take action the MLA. Mocking the Union government's "beti bachaao - beti padhao" slogan, Mr Thackeray said the Maharashtra BJP has launched a "beti bhagao" campaign. He said no party should give a ticket to Mr Kadam for making such a "snide remark" against women. "Has the BJP started a 'beti bhagao' campaign?" he asked. "No party should give him a ticket in the forthcoming elections. Strict action should be taken against Mr Kadam for insulting our mothers and sisters. The Chief Minister should show courage and take action against him," Mr Thackeray told reporters. He said the BJP had taken action against (BJP-backed MLC) Prashant Paricharak and (former Ahmednagar deputy mayor) Shripad Chindam in the past for making derogatory comments, and the same should be followed in Mr Kadam's case. The Maharashtra opposition parties earlier likened Mr Kadam to demon king Ravan over his remarks. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena put up posters depicting Kadam as Ravan outside Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' residence and in Ghatkopar. Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Nawab Malik said the BJP's "Ravan-like" face was out and its legislator would be called "Ravan Kadam" till he apologises. Women members of the Indian Youth Congress burnt Mr Kadam's effigy and also thrashed it with footwear in Indapur town of Maharashtra's Pune district. Mr Kadam, who is heard making the comments in a video clip, has said his comments were distorted. "I only repeated a sentence made by one of the persons standing in the crowd... It was not my sentence. The clip which has gone viral is only of 40 seconds. However, later I had said mothers, sisters and daughters in all households are 'Lakshmi' who need to be respected," he said late Tuesday. "Yet, if I have hurt sentiments, I express regret," the MLA said.<doc-sep>Mumbai BJP MLA Ram Kadam apparently REALLY cares for our desi boys. In fact, so much so that he offered to ‘kidnap girls’ for boys if their proposals got rejected. However, the BJP MLA has since apologised for his 'doctored' remarks and expressed regrets for hurting the sentiments of women. But it obviously did no go down well with the Maharashtra State Commission for Women. Vijaya Rahatkar, the chairperson for the Commission, said that they have taken a suo moto cognizance of BJP MLA Ram Kadam's objectionable statement against women and issued a notice to him to explain his stand in eight days. Maharashtra State Commission for Women suemoto took cognizance of controversial statement of MLA Shri Ram Kadam. Commission asked him to present his side within period of 8 days. In this regard, statements of Smt @VijayaRahatkar Ji, chairperson of commission :@NCWIndia @ANI pic.twitter.com/P4pvNI6jE1 — Maharashtra Women Commission (@mscw_bandra) September 5, 2018 In a now-viral video of Dahi Handi celebrations in Ghatkopar, the BJP MLA is seen saying this. In the video, a boy approached the MLA and told him that he needed Kadam’s help after a girl rejected his proposal. To which Kadam replied that he would help the boy 100 percent. Kadam asked the boy to bring his parents and after their due consent he would kidnap the girl and bring her to the boy for marriage. Later, the BJP MLA even gave his phone number to the crowd, asking them to call him in case they needed any such help. The video, shared by NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, has met with sharp criticism from politicians and the public with everyone slamming the MLA for his comments. Not just an outright apology from him, but I’d want to know from the Home Minister of Maharashtra what action will be taken for openly making such statements that threaten the safety of girls and offering safety to those wanting to kidnap them. — Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) September 4, 2018 I am sorry but there is no room for someone like BJP MLA Ram Kadam to be in public space. Shocked that any person could speak like this. #SackKadam — Dhiraj V Deshmukh (@MeDeshmukh) September 5, 2018 BJP lawmaker Ram Kadam brags about kidnapping girls and handing them over to young men for marriage. Has #BJP gone from Beti bachao Beti Padhao to Beti Uthao Beti Bhagao? #BJP_Ka_Gundaraj#BJP_भगाओ_देश_बचाओ#FascistBJPdownDown https://t.co/cGnpMr4XNZ — Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) September 5, 2018 From Beti Bachao to Beti Bhagao, BJP has travelled a long journey: Mumbai Congress President @sanjaynirupam on the atrocious remark of BJP MLA Ram Kadam #BJPKaRavanRaj pic.twitter.com/vf4GjLZ50K — MumbaiCongress (@INCMumbai) September 5, 2018 Dear @narendramodi @rajnathsingh @Dev_Fadnavis @MumbaiPolice Send this man @ramkadam to prison, NOW. Treat him like the disgusting criminal he is. No excuse, no defense. Either show the country that you stand against such ppl OR admit that you empower them. Simple. pic.twitter.com/6yLwj2xVEF — VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) September 5, 2018 Dear @Dev_Fadnavis Congratulations on the new job you have given your MLAs of abducting girls. Is it national policy for @BJP4India ? MLA Ram Kadam offers to abduct girls for boys. He even offers hotline number for it. 👏👏 https://t.co/IdcuDrKDyo — Preeti Sharma Menon (@PreetiSMenon) September 4, 2018<doc-sep>
BJP MLA Ram Kadam | Photo Credit: ANI Mumbai: After Maharashtra BJP MLA's controversial statement offering to "kidnap" the girl a boy likes even after her rejection, Twitterati is relentlessly trolling the MLA over his insensitive comments. Ram Kadam, the BJP MLA, made the shocking statements in the Ghatkopar Assembly constituency in Mumbai during a 'dahi handi' event. A video of him saying that he can "kidnap the girl" if his parents like the girl. He said it after he said, "You (youngsters) can meet me for any work." Later, he shared with the crowd how he has received several messages from boys who were rejected by girls. "I will help, 100 percent. Come (to me) with your parents," the BJP MLA said. Further, the Kadam also shared his mobile number as well. "What will I do if parents approve? I will kidnap the girl concerned and hand her over to you (for marriage)," he said. One of the Twitter users expressed his extreme disapproval saying that MLA Ram Kadam should be named as 'Ravan Kadam' for suggesting this. Take a look at what the Twitterati is saying: Hello Ram Kadam Ji need some help here pic.twitter.com/68HNFHqbHE — Azy (@Azy4friends) September 4, 2018 Even he knows that no girl will ever say YES to his followers — Aftab (@AFTAB__ANSARI) September 4, 2018 Iska naam RAM KADAM nahin, RAVAN KADAM hona chahiye tha. — Deepak (@deepakkmohanty) September 4, 2018 I want dipika padukone right now please sir kidnap her. — Avinash B (@Avinash_bas) September 4, 2018 This is ‘Sanskar’ of BJP/RSS! BJP MLA Ram Kadam openly assured youngsters to kidnap girl of their choice if she is not conceding to marry! This statement was given by MLA on sacred Janmashtami celebration!He must be arrested for instigating to kidnap girls https://t.co/SvTDVJKqLr — Arjun Modhwadia (@arjunmodhwadia) September 4, 2018 "I said that every youth, whether it's a boy or a girl, should marry after taking their parents into confidence. After saying this, I took a long pause & someone from the audience said something. I repeated that on mike & after that also, I spoke some more," Ram Kadam said later on his statement. It is interesting to note that his Twitter bio says, "Brother to 60K Sisters".