Addressing the incident of rape that took place in Bengaluru on 11 November, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara allegedly questioned the victim's choice of time to play tennis, in a way, holding her responsible for what happened to her. "Why should a woman go play tennis at 9:30 in the night?" he is said to have asked.
Just a couple of months ago, G Parameshwara's predecessor, former Karnataka Home Minister KJ George had also issued a similar outrageous statement, while referring to an incident where a 22-year-old BPO employee was assaulted by two men. "Shouldn't there be at least three or four people for it to be called a gang rape?" he had asked, drawing outrage from hundreds across the country.
According to this report by India Today, the present Home Minister has denied making such a statement now: "I didn't make that statement... I said the incident happened at 9.30 in the evening and police were quick enough to arrest those two persons. That's all I said... the media twisted my statement," he said.
His reaction has not done anything to dim the heat. Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has stepped up to demand G Parameshwara's resignation. "Not only is it insensitive, it doesn't send the right message. If he is not interested in his work. He should step down," Gandhi told reporters.
The 34-year-old victim was allegedly raped on Wednesday night by two security guards in Cubbon Park, Bengaluru. According to report, the woman had gone to the park to get a membership from the club but was asked to return the following day. The two guards, on the pretext of offering her help, took the woman to an isolated spot in the park, and assaulted her. They have now been arrested.
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