Blame parents for rape, smartphones spoiling kids: BJP MLA

BJP MLA Surendra Singh embarrassed his party yet again, this time by claiming parents are to be blamed for the rising incidents of rapes and said smartphones are spoiling kids.

The last time Singh left the Uttar Pradesh government red-faced was when he gave a clean chit to his colleague and MLA Kuldeep Senger, saying no one would rape a woman who is a mother of two-three children

Singh doesn't want parents to give "excessive freedom" to their children lest such incidents should continue to occur. "Evils will occur if young boys and girls are given excessive freedom in modern times," he said in an informal talk with the media on Tuesday.

"Parents are responsible for evils like rapes... it is their responsibility to inculcate high values in them," he said. He advised parents to keep children below 15 under "watch" and monitor their activities.

"Though I am not for a ban on mobiles... smart phones are spoiling young children," he said.

He had earlier said the 2019 Lok Sabha elections would be between "Islam" and "Bhagwan".