New Delhi: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lambasted the Congress in Parliament Friday over its MLA K.R. Ramesh Kumar’s “when rape is inevitable, enjoy it” remark, made in the Karnataka assembly the previous day.
BJP MP and Union Minister Smriti Irani condemned the statement made by Kumar. Speaking in the Lok Sabha Friday, she said that if the Congress “truly believes” in the cause of women, it should stand in the House and “denounce the legislator” who made the comment.
Following Kumar’s statement, Congress’ Karnataka unit president D.K. Shivakumar and national general secretary Randeep Surjewala had condemned it.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also tweeted on the matter Friday, calling the MLA’s remark “indefensible”.
The controversy has hit the Congress at a time when it is trying to get the attention of women voters in Uttar Pradesh with the ‘Ladki Hoon, Ladd Sakti Hoon’ campaign, helmed by Priyanka, with state assembly elections round the corner.
‘Ladki Hoon, Ladd Sakti Hoon’ is the slogan for the Congress’ women outreach programme for the UP elections. As a part of the programme, Congress had released a separate manifesto for women ahead of the polls, and promised to give 40 per cent of its tickets to women. It had also promised sops like smartphones and two-wheelers for college-going girls, free travel for women in buses, cylinders for homemakers, etc.
Earlier this week, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had also also spoken in Parliament condemning a “misogynistic” question that had appeared in a CBSE question paper.
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Remark and apology
K.R. Ramesh Kumar, the Congress MLA from Karnataka’s Srinivaspur constituency, made the controversial remark during a discussion on farmers in the state assembly Thursday.
While the discussion was going on, many MLAs were requesting the Speaker, V.H. Kageri, to let them have their say, leading to chaos. The Speaker then asked them how he could “conduct the business of the House” in such a situation.
“Whatever you decide, I will say yes. What I am thinking is that let us enjoy the situation. I can’t control or regulate the system. My concern is about the business of the House, it also has to be covered,” Kageri had said.
In response to this, Ramesh Kumar had said, “There is a saying that when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That is exactly the position which you are in.”
The statement raised hackles across party lines, as well as on social media. What also shocked many was the laughter in assembly that came as a response to the comment.
After the backlash, Kumar took to Twitter to apologise. “I would like to express my sincere apologies to everyone for the indifferent and negligent comment I made in today’s assembly about “Rape!” My intention was not trivialise or make light of the heinous crime, but an off the cuff remark! I will choose my words carefully henceforth! (sic),” he tweeted Thursday night.
I would like to express my sincere apologies to everyone for the indifferent and negligent comment I made in today’s assembly about “Rape!” My intention was not trivialise or make light of the heinous crime, but an off the cuff remark! I will choose my words carefully henceforth!
— K. R. Ramesh Kumar (@KRRameshKumar1) December 16, 2021
He also apologised in the Karnataka assembly Friday.
“If it hurts the sentiments of women, I’ve no problem apologising. I apologise from the bottom of my heart,” ANI quoted him as saying in the assembly.
“He has apologised, let’s not drag it further,” Speaker Kageri said, accepting Kumar’s apology.
Backlash and Congress response
The comment made in Karnataka was quick to reach Parliament in Delhi.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha Friday, Union Minister Irani said the Congress MLA’s remark “needed to be condemned by every public representative in Karnataka”.
“If you truly believe in the cause of women, then stand here and denounce that legislator who said that if a woman in this country is raped, she should enjoy it. Those men who stand here today, go back to your political organisation and first bring to justice such a man and then we will see who speaks for women and children in this country,” Irani said in the Lok Sabha.
Jaya Bachchan, Rajya Sabha MP from the Samajwadi Party, also criticised Kumar’s statement.
“Shameful behaviour, shameful action. The party must deal with them and take very strict action so that it’s an example for others not to even think of such things, forget talking about it in the house,” she told ANI.
Shameful behaviour, shameful action. The party must deal with them & take very strict action so that it's an example for others not to even think of such things, forget talking about it in the House: SP MP Jaya Bachchan on Karnataka Congress MLA KR Ramesh Kumar's 'rape' remark pic.twitter.com/yHW56chob2
— ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2021
Responding to the criticism, the Congress publicly distanced itself from the MLA’s comments.
“I wholeheartedly condemn the statement made earlier today by Sri. K.R.Ramesh Kumar. It is inexplicable how anyone can ever utter such words, they are indefensible. Rape is a heinous crime. Full stop,” tweeted Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
I wholeheartedly condemn the statement made earlier today by Sri. K.R.Ramesh Kumar. It is inexplicable how anyone can ever utter such words, they are indefensible. Rape is a heinous crime. Full stop.
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 17, 2021
“The Congress party condemns the words spoken by one of our own legislators in the Karnataka assembly. The insensitive remarks against women are contrary to the values of gender equality the Congress party champions,” tweeted state party chief D.K. Shivakumar.
The Congress party condemns the words spoken by one of our own legislators in the Karnataka assembly. The insensitive remarks against women are contrary to the values of gender equality the Congress party champions.
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— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) December 17, 2021
“While we note that the legislator has tendered an apology, the incident in the assembly is a sign that all of us men in politics need to do better to shed our inherent regressive attitudes towards women,” he added.
He also personally apologised for Kumar’s comments: “As the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, I am deeply saddened that such words were uttered by a Congress MLA. To all the women of Karnataka, I am sorry and I will ensure words like these are never repeated.”
Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala has also condemned the statement.
“Congress party disapproves the exchange of highly objectionable & insensitive banter between Karnataka Assembly Speaker & Sr. Congress MLA in the House. Speaker as custodian & Sr legislators are expected to be role models & should desist from such unacceptable behaviour (sic),” said Surjewala.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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