Karnataka Congress MLA apologises for rape remark, opponents want action taken

Senior Congress leader K.R. Ramesh Kumar on Friday apologised on the floor of Karnataka Assembly for his remark “to enjoy rape when it is inevitable”.

On Thursday, Ramesh Kumar, a former Assembly Speaker, had said, “There is a saying that when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That is exactly the position in which you are.” This statement had created uproar in the country, with many demanding his sacking as an MLA and protest in the state Assembly.

While speaking in the Assembly on Friday, he said, “… I don’t want to be defensive. Whatever I have said last night, if it hurts anybody’s sentiment, I would like to apologize for the statement. I don’t have any ego issues. I respect everybody. We all are here to uphold the dignity of the Assembly.”

He further said, “I want to issue an unconditional apology to everybody who has been hurt by my remark.”

However, Samajwadi Party (SP) Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan expressed her displeasure over Kumar’s remark and termed it as “shameful behaviour”. She further demanded the Congress party to take strict action against the legislator. “Shameful behaviour, shameful action. The party must deal with them and take very strict action so that it is an example for others not to even think of such things, forget talking about it in the House,” Bachchan said.

“If you have people with such a mindset sitting in Assembly or Parliament, how can things change? We have to create an example by giving them the strictest punishment so that nobody ever dares speak like this. This is disgusting, I’m shocked,” she added.

Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani launched a scathing attack on Kumar over his sexist comment and termed it “shameful”, and dared the Congress to expel the legislator from the party. In a veiled attack at Congress General Secretary and in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Irani said, “The Congress leadership in Uttar Pradesh which always says that she is a girl and she can fight, expel the leader if you have courage.” “It is shameful that the Legislative Assembly which takes a pledge to protect the honour of women was used by a Congress leader to give a shameful statement against women,” Irani said at Parliament.