Women to be blamed for crime, says UP minister

At a time when clamour for stringent laws to check crimes against women are growing, an Uttar Pradesh minister on Thursday held the women responsible for atrocities against them.

Minister of State for Secondary Education Vijay Bahadur Singh’s advice came at a programme in Kannauj district to create awareness among the women on issues like female foeticide, molestation and rape. “Women will have to change their attitude,” Singh reportedly remarked. He said atrocities against the women can be checked if they adhered to social norms and customs.

Several Uttar Pradesh ministers have embarassed the state government with their remarks, despite warnings from Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

String of rows

Sometime ago, Minister for Home Guards, Brahma Shanker Tripathi, said it was all right for government officials to siphon off 15 per cent of the funds allocated for developmental schemes. “If you take 15 per cent as commission, there is no problem. But you must spend the remaining 85 per cent on developmental works,” Tripathi had told officials.

At a meeting of PWD officials in Auraiya district, Shivpal Singh Yadav, Mulayam’s younger brother, was caught on camera saying: “You (officials) can steal a little if you work hard.”
Senior minister Azam Khan had said he would have led the mob that demolished the Babri Masjid to destroy Taj Mahal since Mughal emperor Shahjahan had built the architectural marvel with public money.

Concerned over the adverse effects of the remarks on Akhilesh’s image, Mulayam had convened a meeting of the ministers where he gave them tips on governance and maintaining discipline.