Kapil Sibal-Led Bar Panel Under Veep Fire In "Symptomatic Malaise" Statement Row

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar today strongly condemned a purported statement made by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) headed by senior lawyer and MP Kapil Sibal on the rape and murder case of a junior doctor in Kolkata.

"I am appalled, pained that someone holding a position in the Supreme Court Bar Association, a Member of Parliament, can term such acts of violence against women as a symptomatic malaise. How can one suggest that such incidents are commonplace? What a shame," the Vice President said at an event in Delhi University's Bharti College.

"Words fail me in condemning such a stance. It is a great injustice to such a high position," Vice President Dhankhar said.

Former SCBA president Adish C Aggarwala said the resolution was not officially approved by the SCBA executive committee, and demanded that it be withdrawn or Mr Sibal issue a public apology, news agency PTI reported.

The Vice President said calling violence against women a "symptomatic malaise" is the same as trivialising their suffering.

"For partisan interest? For self-interest? You take a stance, leveraging your authority to perpetrate such kind of heinous injustice on our girls and women? What can be a greater injustice to humanity? Do we trivialise the suffering of our girls? No, not any longer," he said.

The rape and murder of the junior doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has sparked outrage across the nation, with doctors and others in the medical profession calling for fundamental reforms to ensure dignity and security at their workplace.

West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged the BJP has politicised the incident. The BJP has, however, pointed the finger back at Ms Banerjee's party with allegations that the medical college was ridden with insidious corruption.

The college's former principal Sandip Ghosh is under investigation. The Central Bureau of Investigation has also arrested the key suspect Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, who was seen on CCTV outside the seminar room of the hospital where the junior doctor's body was found.