BJP Mahila Morcha workers on Friday staged a protest condemning the statement of Home Minister G Parameshwara in connection with the molestation case of a young woman reported from Bengaluru in the wee hours of January 1.

Parameshwara had said that the incident occurred due to Western attire of the woman.

The protesters charged that Parameshwara’s comments insult women and took out a rally from the party office ‘Panchajanya’ to the DC’s office.

Morcha city unit president Pushpanjali Mohan charged that crimes against women have increased in the state, especially after the Congress-led government came to power. Women are being subjected to sexual assault, molestation, murder, dacoity and also extortion. When the law and order situation of the state is deteriorating, the recent incident have shamed the civil society, she said.

The state was earlier considered as the best for women’s safety. But the situation has changed now. Amid all this, the home minister, who is duty bound to ensure security and instil confidence among the people, is coming out with such demeaning statements, she criticised.

The minister should be dropped from the Cabinet for issuing such statements against women and the perpertrators should be dealt with an iron hand, the protesters demanded.

Zilla panchayat president B S Chaitrashri Malathesh, former president Rekha Huliyappagowda, women’s morcha district unit secretary Sowbhagya Shashidhar, city unit general secretary Vinutha, Shobha Rajesh, Poornima and other leaders took part in the protest.