Indian congress leader and former minister has promised a reward of Rs 500,000 ($6,974) to anyone who chops off the tongue of a government lawmaker who sparked outrage this week after saying he’d be willing to “kidnap girls”.

Subodh Saoji slammed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ram Kadam over his “embarrassing” comments, and vowed to pay anyone who cuts his tongue off of the hefty sum.

“As a lawmaker, it doesn’t suit Ram Kadam to make such embarrassing remarks. My appeal to the citizens of Maharashtra is – anyone who chops off the BJP MLA’s tongue will be rewarded with Rs five lakh,” Asian news agency ANI quoted Saoji as saying.

#WATCH: Former Maharashtra minister and Congress leader Subodh Savji says ‘I am announcing a Rs 5-lakh reward for anyone who chops off BJP MLA Ram Kadam’s tongue. I strongly condemn him saying girls should be abducted.' (06.09.18) pic.twitter.com/Y3h8AR7Vd1 — ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2018

Kadam, from Mumbai’s Ghatkopar constituency, stirred outcry on Monday night when addressing a crowd at a Dahi Handi event he promised to help out men trying to woo a woman into marriage.

Saying he would “definitely” help anyone needing help in their marriage proposals to a girl, Kadam added: “If they say they like that girl then…

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“I will call your parents and ask them…If they say they like that girl then… I will kidnap that girl and give her to you... now take my number,” Kadam was heard saying in a video shared by NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad on Twitter.

Kadam responded to the backlash saying he didn’t mean to offend anyone and claimed that while he regretted the comments, they had been distorted.

His remarks nonetheless prompted the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) to issue him a notice and demand he outlines his own account within eight days.

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