INDIA: Amid growing public resentment over the gang-rape and hanging of two teenage girls in northern Uttar Pradesh, the home minister responsible for law and order in Madhya Pradesh describes rape as a "social crime"

Record ID: 1374663

  • Title: INDIA: Amid growing public resentment over the gang-rape and hanging of two teenage girls in northern Uttar Pradesh, the home minister responsible for law and order in Madhya Pradesh describes rape as a "social crime"
  • Date: 5th June 2014
  • Summary: BHOPAL, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA (JUNE 5, 2014) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS OF THE YOUTH WING OF THE CONGRESS PROTESTING AGAINST HOME MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR LAW AND ORDER IN MADHYA PRADESH BABULAL GAUR (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) HOME MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR LAW AND ORDER IN MADHYA PRADESH, BABULAL GAUR SAYING: "It (rape) is a social crime. It is sometimes, right sometimes wrong. It is difficult to stop rapes completely as a rapist does not reveal his intentions before committing the crime. We take action only when it is reported. What can poor Akhilesh [Yadav, chief minister of Uttar Pradesh] and Mulayam [head of the regional Samajwadi Party that runs Uttar Pradesh] do about this?" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS OF THE YOUTH WING OF THE CONGRESS PROTESTING AGAINST GAUR (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) PRESIDENT OF THE STATE YOUTH CONGRESS, MADHYA PRADESH, KUNAL CHAUDHARY SAYING: "The way Babulal Gaur has made the statement against women, the way he has disgraced women it is clear that Madhya Pradesh is not a safe place for women. It has become a haven for rape. Instead of trying to stop rape, the Home Minister is saying that rapes won't stop, then it is shameful and we demand his resignation." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS BURNING EFFIGY OF GAUR NEW DELHI, INDIA (JUNE 5, 2014) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) PRESIDENT OF ALL INDIA MAHILA (WOMENS') CONGRESS, SHOBHA OJHA SAYING: "The statement about rape which the Home Minister of Madhya Pradesh has made is unfortunate. Babulal says that women should be ready to face rape, learn Judo and Karate and that a rapist never makes his intentions known beforehand. By this he is making clear his indifference and also how indifferent the Madhya Pradesh government is towards rapes and crime against women." BHOPAL, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA (JUNE 5, 2014) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) PROTESTERS BURNING EFFIGY (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) HINDU NATIONALIST BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY (BJP) REPRESENTATIVE DR. HITESH BAJPAI SAYING: "From what I have seen in the media about Babulal Gaur's statement, I feel it has been twisted. The BJP has a strong policy against rape and we work in that sense."
  • Embargoed: 20th June 2014 20:34
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA1KPZBQ08NW4HCOOJ53SCFLQJG
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: A lawmaker from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party has described rape as a social crime, saying on Thursday (June 5) "sometimes it's right, sometimes it's wrong", in the latest controversial remarks by an Indian politician about rape.
    The political leaders of Uttar Pradesh, the state where two cousins aged 12 and 14 were raped and hanged last week, have faced criticism for failing to visit the scene and for accusing the media of hyping the story.
    A regional politician from Modi's own party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said on Thursday that the crime of rape can only be considered to have been committed if it is reported to police.

    "It (rape) is a social crime. It is sometimes, right sometimes wrong. It is difficult to stop rapes completely as a rapist does not reveal his intentions before committing the crime. We take action only when it is reported. What can poor Akhilesh [Yadav, chief minister of Uttar Pradesh] and Mulayam [head of the regional Samajwadi Party that runs Uttar Pradesh] do about this?" the home minister responsible for law and order in the BJP-run central state of Madhya Pradesh, Babulal Gaur, said.
    Gaur was expressing sympathy with Mulayam Singh Yadav, head of the regional Samajwadi Party that runs Uttar Pradesh. In the recent election, Mulayam criticised legal changes that foresee the death penalty for gang rape, saying: "Boys commit mistakes: Will they be hanged for rape?"
    As protesters in Bhopal burned effigies of Gaur, the President of the State Youth Congress, Madhya Pradesh said his comments showed that the region was no longer safe for women.

    "It has become a haven for rape. Instead of trying to stop rape, the Home Minister is saying that rapes won't stop, then it is shameful and we demand his resignation," Pradesh said.
    The President of the All India Mahila Congress, Shobha Ojha, agreed.

    "By this he is making clear his indifference and also how indifferent the Madhya Pradesh government is towards rapes and crime against women," she said.
    The BJP dismissed Gaur's comments as an expression of his personal views, and not the party's.

    "From what I have seen in the media about Babulal Gaur's statement, I feel it has been twisted. The BJP has a strong policy against rape and we work in that sense," BJP representative Hitesh Bajpai said.
    Modi, who was sworn in as prime minister last week after a landslide election victory, has so far remained silent over the double killing in the village of Katra Shahadatganj, around half a day's drive east of New Delhi.
    The father and uncle of one of the victims said they tried to report the crime to local police but had been turned away. Three men have been arrested over the killings. Two policemen were held on suspicion of trying to cover up the crime.
    Although a rape is reported in India every 21 minutes on average, law enforcement failures mean that such crimes - a symptom of pervasive sexual and caste oppression - are often not reported or properly investigated, human rights groups say.
    More sex crimes have come to light in recent days. A woman in a nearby district of Uttar Pradesh was gang-raped, forced to drink acid and strangled to death. Another was shot dead in northeast India while resisting attackers, media reports said.
    U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said he was "especially appalled" by the rape and murder of the two girls.

    "We say no to the dismissive, destructive attitude of, 'Boys will be boys'," he said in a statement this week that made clear his contempt for the language used by Mulayam Singh Yadav.
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