Non-BJP leaders in Bengal slam UP MLA for his rape remark

Non-BJP parties in West Bengal have slammed BJP's Ballia MP Surendra Singh, who recently said that 'sanskar' (values) should be instilled in girls to prevent incidents of rape, and sought to know why the saffron party was "maintaining silence" over the remark.

Singh, while speaking in reference to the Hathras gang-rape and murder case, said if parents instil 'sanskar' in their daughters while raising them, incidents of rape can be avoided. "Even if the government flaunts sword before the rapists that won't help in stopping such crimes unless parents teach their daughters to dress properly," he had said.

Describing Singh as a "pervert", TMC MP Mahua Moitra tweeted, "Is @BJP going to break their maunvrat over this sick pervert who is elected on their ticket?"

Mitra, who attached a video clip of the UP MLA's remarks with her tweet, further said on Sunday, "Each of these saffron sickos take India back into the dark ages each time they open their mouths."

Her senior party colleague and state minister Partha Chatterjee said, "This is what is expected from BJP MLAs like Singh who have no respect and regard for women, who have no proper education and are blighted by medieval ideas. Yet such people are fielded by the BJP, which goes on to show the true colour of the saffron party."

Moitra and Chatterjee's political adversary, CPI(M) Legislature Party leader Sujan Chakraborty, too, condemned the statement and said Hindutva forces treat women as "second- class citizens".

"This is a distasteful comment. They don't ever consider women equal to men. At certain moments such mindset comes to the fore when their leaders open their mouths."

Chakraborty said Singh's "crass comments" have hurt the sentiments of people.

Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Choudhury said such remarks by a BJP lawmaker after the "brutal rape and murder of a Dalit woman will only encourage rapists".

"Is he trying to justify their act! Such statement is most unfortunate and not in sync with the vision of a modern India," Choudhury stated.

Alleging that cases of Dalit atrocities are continuing unabated in UP and other BJP-ruled states, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said on Sunday that the saffron party's ideology "enforces caste-based segregation".

"Dalit-oppression by BJP ruled Govts is an open secret now. The party's Anti-Dalit ideology enforces caste-based segregation even in today's day & age. Their hardships will not let @BJP4India & its leaders rest peacefully!" the chief minister tweeted.

State BJP leader Sayantan Basu, however, said that "the party doesn't approve of the Ballia MLA's statement.

"We hope those involved in the Hathras incident are punished soon. But what about the comments of our chief minister after Park Street (rape) incident? She had described it as a minor incident and even cast aspersions on the character of the rape victim," Basu added.