Insensitive comments on rape are not just limited to Karnataka but political leaders across South India have made such statements.
Published Apr 09, 2025 | 9:28 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 09, 2025 | 9:28 AM
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara.
Synopsis: Politicians cutting across party lines have made insensitive remarks about rape survivors. While politicians across party and state lines have made such comments, the most recent one came from Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara recently faced backlash over his insensitive comments regarding a viral video of a man molesting two women on a public road in Bengaluru.
On 7 April, when the media asked him about the viral video of a molestation case that took place in BTM layout, he replied, “Police are working round the clock, braving rain and cold. That is why there is peace in Bengaluru. In a big city like Bengaluru, incidents like this take place here and there.”
The next day, after facing backlash, Parameshwara expressed regret over the “distortion” of his statements. “Distorting my statement and speaking about me is not right. Yesterday, my statement was not properly understood by you (media) and other platforms. I am always for women’s protection.”
“As a home minister, I have launched various programmes for (the welfare of) women. We spend more on Nirbhaya funds compared to any other state in the country. I would someday share what we have done for the protection of women. I believe and have taken several measures for the safety of women. If there are any issues, I have made officials in the department responsible.”
“So, my statement should not be projected by distorting it. I am not saying this for those from the BJP who are doing politics. If my statement caused pain to anyone — mothers and sisters — I express regret,” he added.
However, by then, the National Commission for Women (NCW) had written to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot asking Parameshwara to apologise for his insensitive remarks. The commission called out his statement and asked to strengthen the law and order situation across the state.
It is to be noted that this is not the first time that the home minister or some other politicians, cutting across party lines, have been insensitive to survivors of rape, molestation and harassment.
On 6 March, when a horrific rape incident was reported near Hampi, Parameshwara had violated the privacy of the survivor and other legal provisions. He had blurted out the names of two rape survivors. It is against the Indian law to disclose the names and other details of rape survivors. Even news channels went on to air the clip without editing or muting him when he mentioned the names.
Earlier, in 2012, when Araga Jnanendra of the BJP was the home minister, he made an insensitive comment and blamed a rape survivor. When an MBA student was gang raped at the foothills of Chamundi, the former home minister questioned her presence in such a secluded place after sunset.
He had said, “What was she doing at that place between 7 and 7.30 pm? Why did she go to a secluded place with her classmate after sunset? But what can we do, people are free to go anywhere anytime?”
However, when Shobha Karandlaje, the then-minister, was apprised of the home minister’s insensitive remarks, she replied, “I don’t want to comment on what the HM said. It would divert attention from the issue. My concern is to get justice for the victim and see to it that the culprits are punished.”
Similarly, in 2021, the then-speaker of the Karnataka Assembly KR Ramesh Kumar, made insensitive comments on the act of rape and survivors. He commented that survivors should enjoy rape. When MLAs were not listening to Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri, Ramesh Kumar, said, “If rape was inevitable, you should lie down and enjoy.”
He later apologised after the women representatives in the Vidhan Sabha and Parishad protested against his comments and forced him to issue an apology for his insensitive remarks.
The saga of insensitive comments does not stop at these incidents.
In 2015, when KJ George was the home minister in the Siddaramaiah-led government, he made an insensitive remark regarding a gang rape in Bengaluru.
When a reporter asked about the gang rape of a 22-year-old BPO employee in a van by driver and cleaner, he answered, “How can you call it a gang rape? Gang rape means four or five people.”
In the same year, KS Eshwarappa who was the then-leader of the Opposition in Legislative Council, made some insensitive remarks regarding a rape survivor.
He was asked by a woman representative about the law and order issue after the Congress came to power and if the BJP had failed to corner the government on this issue. His reply was, “You are here… If somebody drags and rapes you, we will be somewhere else, what can we do.”
Insensitive comments on rape are not just limited to Karnataka but political leaders across South India have made such statements.
Former Telangana home minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali made an insensitive remark after the charred body of a young veterinary doctor was found on an underpass in the Ranga Reddy district. He said, “This is an unfortunate incident. Why didn’t she call 100? She was an educated woman.”
A few years back, in Kerala, the then-Poonjar MLA PC George landed in serious trouble after making an insensitive remark against the nun who accused Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal of rape.
George, backing the bishop, had called the survivor a “prostitute” and claimed she had “enjoyed” it 12 times and called it rape the 13th time. His statement sparked outrage, and the NCW summoned him.
In 2020, the then Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Mullappally Ramachandran stirred controversy over his remarks about rape survivors.
While criticising the LDF in the wake of allegations made by solar scam accused Saritha Nair against former Congress minister AP Anil Kumar, Ramachandran reportedly said, “One can understand when a woman is raped once. But what if she repeatedly says it? A woman with self-respect will either die by suicide after she is raped or try not to be sexually assaulted again.”
His statement was widely condemned across political and social circles for being insensitive and victim-blaming.
The controversy erupted after Saritha, who had made rape allegations earlier, approached the police accusing Anil Kumar of rape. Saritha had earlier been at the centre of the solar scam that had rocked the then UDF government led by Oommen Chandy.
The scam came to light in 2013, when it was revealed that Saritha and her partner had allegedly duped several people of crores of rupees by promising solar energy solutions, with some members of Chandy’s staff also implicated in the scandal.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Saicharan Sana and Sreelakshmi Soman.)
