Khanna under fire for gun licence remarks
Delhi's Lt. Governor Tejinder Khanna's advice to gun licence holders to help prevent harassment of women has caused anger among activists, who have accused him of promoting violence. The BJP Saturday called his remarks "provocative".
"How can he promote violence and gun culture which will further escalate violence in the capital? The failure of the system cannot be covered by such kind of remarks," Ranjana Kumari, director of Centre for Social Research, told IANS.
Khanna Friday said here: "Those who apply for gun licences should do some social service by preventing eve teasing." He was speaking in the backdrop of the Dec 16 brutal gang-rape of a 23-year-old woman who died Dec 29.
"In order to find the solution, he has gone overboard. How can such a remark come from lieutenant-governor of Delhi," Ranjana Kumari said.
Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Delhi unit chief Vijender Gupta demanded "clarification" from Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on the stand taken by Khanna.
"This is a provocative and unprepared act by the lieutenant-governor," he told IANS.
Calling Khanna's statement "outrageous", Kavita Krishnan of All India Progressive Women's Association said: "How can he say... He runs Delhi Police. Instead of making Delhi Police accountable, he is trying to pass the buck to the citizens. The remark means that people should give in to desperation."
National Federation of Indian Women general secretary, Annie Raja said in the name of protecting women, Khanna is giving a call for violence.
"We don't want such protection. What we want is our constitutional rights. It is an open call for gun-totting men to go all out. The governor should speak of the responsibility of the state," she said.
