The MGP is an alliance partner in the Bharatiya Janata Party-headed government.
On Sunday, Lata Dhavalikar made these statements at a religious meeting in Margao.
“This is a clear attempt to divide the State and country on religious lines. Linking rape to Western culture and exhorting parents against sending their wards to convent schools reveals a sick mentality,” Congress spokesperson Durgadas Kamat said in a statement.
On Monday, media reports quoted Dhavalikar, a member of the right wing Hindu organisation Sanatan Sanstha, as saying, “Incidents of rape are on the rise, largely owing to the fact that women have adopted Western culture.”
“It’s time we took pride in our rich ancient Indian culture. Now, it has become trendy among Indian women not to wear the kumkum on their forehead, wearing tight and revealing clothes, trimming hair and making weird hairdos…,” she opined.
