Ramesh Kumar's party colleagues were critical of his statements.File photo
A comment in very poor taste by a senior Congress MLA in the Karnataka assembly has been facing a backlash leading to his apology and criticism by his own party leaders. Former Speaker K. R. Ramesh Kumar, in the context of MLAs not listening to the Speaker, said that "if rape was inevitable, one should lie back and enjoy it." The remark was greeted with laughter by the Speaker and others but the crass comment has left many far from amused.
Many have been deeply offended at the comment and the response of the current Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri and other MLAs who laughed, treating the line about enjoying rape if it was inevitable as a big joke.
Speaking to NDTV, Brinda Adige, a Bengaluru-based activist said, "How dare you make such a statement - elected representative of the people of Karnataka?... We do not make frivolous statements trivialising rape and the victims of rape. The fact that you said this, that you are a repeat offender and that the others all just listened to you - the Speaker guffawing over there - just goes to show that these are not fit to be our elected representatives."
Ramesh Kumar made a conditional apology on the floor of the House on Friday morning, saying, "It has already been decided that I have made a mistake. I ask for forgiveness. If my words have hurt any woman, anywhere in the country, I apologise from my heart."
However, when women MLAs tried to raise their voices against the offensive comment, the Speaker steered the proceedings away from the issue.
Ramesh Kumar's party colleagues were critical of his statements.
Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted, "The Congress party disapproves the exchange of highly objectionable & insensitive banter between Karnataka Assembly Speaker & Sr. Congress MLA in the House.
Speaker as custodian & Sr legislators are expected to be role models & should desist from such unacceptable behaviour."
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Chief D K Shivakumar tweeted that it was a sign that "all of us men in politics need to do better to shed our inherent regressive attitudes towards women."
The BJP was critical of Ramesh Kumar but not so forthcoming on the Speaker's response.
Senior BJP leader Smriti Irani said, "It is extremely shameful that inside Vidhan Sabha, a Congress leader has given a shameful statement about women that 'one should enjoy while a woman gets raped':
Congress should first suspend their leader before talking about women empowerment and raising slogans like "Ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon" in Uttar Pradesh."