#BackingRapists: 10 Insensitive Statements By Political Class

The political class in India is generally insensitive towards many things happening to the common men and women. Their comments on the heinous act of rape are equally insensitive. They do not understand that by saying anything against the victims, or women in general, they are backing rapists.

Yesterday’s statement by former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Mulayam Singh was one of them. He actually supported the rapists when he produced the old excuses of ‘boys will be boys’ against the dastardly act. In an election campaign rally, Mulayam had said that “boys make mistakes” and that if he comes to power, he will amend the rape law and remove the death penalty provision from it.

Mulayam’s statement is not the only one. There is no end to the examples that we can share showing this insensitivity of the political class. But here are top ten statements from famous so-called leaders of ours who think little before they speak:

1. Om Prakash Chautala,former chief minister, Haryana “Girls should be married at the age of 16, so that they have their husbands for their sexual needs, and they don’t need to go elsewhere. This way rapes will not occur”                          
2. Sushilkumar Shinde, Minister of Home Affairs on 2012 Delhi Gang rape “This kind of rape should not occur”
3. Mamata Banerjee, CM, West Bengal “Rape cases are on a rise in the country because men and women interact with each other more freely now.”
4. Raj Thackarey of MNS on 2012 Delhi Gangrape accused who were from UP and Delhi “All are talking about the Delhi gangrape, but nobody is asking from where these men came. No one is asking who did this. So many cases are slapped against me (for speaking against Biharis) but no one is talking about the fact that all these rapists are from Bihar”
5. Mohan Bhagwat, RSS chief “Rape is mainly prevalent in urban ‘India’ due to western influence and such crimes against women do not happen in rural ‘Bharat’”
6. Abu Azmi, Samajwadi Party leader on 2012 Delhi Gangrape “What is the need for roaming at night with men who are not relatives? This should be stopped”
7. Anisur Rehman, CPI-M leader “We have told the chief minister in the assembly that the government will pay money to compensate rape victims. What is your fee? If you are raped, what will be your fee?”
8. Rajpal Saini, BSP leader “There is no need to give phones to women and children. It distracts them and is useless. Why do women need phones? My mother, wife and sister never had mobile phones. They survived without one”
9. Dharamvir Goyat, Haryana Pradesh Congress committee member “90% Rape Cases are Consensual”
10. K. Sudhakaran, Congress MP from Kerala on Suryanelli rape case in 1996 “The difference between rape and prostitution has to be defined clearly. It is the necessity of the society”

Hope this election we vote wisely and such people do not crowd our political future.