BJP MLA Panna Lal Shakya Refers Goddess Sita As ‘Maut Ka Saamaan’, Woman MLA Confronts Him (Video)
Madhya Pradesh BJP MLA Panna Lal Shakya sparked controversy after invoking Sita while discussing Ravana and claiming that men, not women, died in wars described in Hindu epics. BJP MLA Priyanka Penchi confronted him on stage, saying his comments overlooked women’s sacrifices. The remarks drew criticism from the Opposition and BJP’s state unit.
BJP legislator Panna Lal Shakya has triggered controversy after invoking Sita from the Ramayana while speaking about the consequences of coveting another man’s wife. Shakya, who represents Guna, used the phrase “maut ka samaan” (cause of death) while referring to Sita and went on to claim that men, rather than women, died in wars described in the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
The remarks were made on Tuesday during the state-level Balaram Mahotsav in Guna. The event, held at the Nanakhedi Agricultural Produce Market, also saw a public exchange between Shakya and BJP MLA Priyanka Penchi, who confronted him on stage and objected to his comments about women’s sacrifices. ‘Puncture Banane Wale’ Remark: BJP Leader Ramesh Bidhuri Sparks Political Row Over Delhi Student Protest (Video).
BJP MLA Panna Lal Shakya Refers Goddess Sita As ‘Maut Ka Saamaan’
गुना से BJP विधायक पन्ना लाल शाक्य, अपने भाषण में माता सीता को ‘मौत का सामान’ बता रहे हैं, ये भी कहा युद्ध में पुरुष मरे, महिलाएं नहीं, मंच से ही बीजेपी की महिला विधायक ने टोका तो उन्हें बैठा दिया
अब क्या ही बोले इनके लिए ?@NitinNabin @narendramodi @RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/BIjfi2otXe
— ANJANI KUMAR SHARMA (@JRAnjaniSharma) August 19, 2026
Woman MLA Confronts Shakya On Stage
Shakya, who represents the Guna Assembly seat, cited examples from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and other historical conflicts to make his point.
“Many people tried to reason with Ravana, asking, ‘brother, why have you brought another man’s wife here?’ They tried to make him understand that this was a recipe for disaster (maut ka samaan), a sure path to death, but he wouldn’t listen. Yet, look at that battle: not a single woman died; it was the men who perished, all the men died, but not a single woman,” Shakya can be heard saying in the viral video clip.
He then referred to the Mahabharata and Draupadi, saying:
“The same happened in the Mahabharata, one crore men were killed over one Panchali (Draupadi), no women were killed… You need to understand the irony here, look at what happened in history: on one occasion, many men were killed; on another, lives were lost over a woman. It wasn’t the women who died; it was the men. We fail to grasp this—what is this all about? Prithviraj Chauhan, for the sake of Sanyogita, sacrificed 55 of his own chieftains—from Kannauj to Delhi, and we are still paying the price for that today,” he added.
Priyanka Penchi Objects To Remarks
BJP MLA Priyanka Penchi, who represents the Chachaura Assembly seat and was sharing the stage, interrupted Shakya.
“Bhaisahab ye galat baat hai (This is not a good thing to say).”
Penchi then objected to the comments as being anti-women.
“Women have made sacrifices too. I am a woman myself. You are overlooking the sacrifices made by women,” she said.
Shakya, however, rejected the intervention and said he had read many books and knew what had transpired. He then asked Penchi to take her seat.
The exchange was captured on video and has since become a topic of discussion within Madhya Pradesh’s BJP unit.
Remarks Draw Opposition Criticism
The incident took place in Guna, which falls under Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia’s Lok Sabha constituency. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also joined the event virtually, according to reports.
BJP Madhya Pradesh spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai sought to distance the party’s position from the remarks.
Speaking to ThePrint, BJP Madhya Pradesh spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai said: “BJP has already cleared that we do farmer- and women-centric politics apart from [focusing on ] the youth and downtrodden that completes our commitment to Garib-Youth-Annadata-Naari (GYAN). We are firm on those lines. Any such statement that defies these sentiments is not welcome.”
The Opposition criticised Shakya and the BJP over the comments.
“This behavior is a testament to the character of the BJP. PM Modi talks a lot about respecting women, while his MLAs, MPs, and ministers insult women on a daily basis. This is not only an insult to the 50 per cent of the population, but also to our civilisation, culture, and religion. This will not be tolerated,” said Jitu Patwari, Congress president in Madhya Pradesh.
Shakya’s Earlier Controversies
Shakya, a BJP MLA from Guna, has faced controversy over his public remarks in the past.
The latest incident has drawn particular attention because of the exchange with a fellow BJP legislator, with Penchi publicly challenging his interpretation of women’s role and sacrifice in the examples he cited. The video of the exchange has continued to circulate online, adding to the political debate over the remarks.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 19, 2026 07:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
