Reacting to incidents of women allegedly being molested by groups of men in Karnataka’s capital Bengaluru on New Year’s eve, the state Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday made a controversial statement claiming “such incidents do happen on New Year day and on Christmas”.
If that wasn’t enough, he held women’s “western clothing” responsible for such incidents.
He told PTI, “Unfortunately, what is happening is that on days like New Years, Brigade Road, Commercial Street, or MG road, a large number of youngsters gather. And youngsters were almost like westerners. They tried to copy the westerners, not only in their mindset but even in their dressing. So some disturbance, some girls are harassed, these kind of things do happen,” he added.
Meanwhile, K’tka DGP Om Prakash said action will be taken against “culprits”
Parameshwara’s remarks obviously didn’t go well with social media, especially with women rights’ groups, who lashed out at him. The National Commission for Women chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam sought his resignation and apology to the women of the country.
“Such remark from the Home Minister is unacceptable and regrettable. I want to ask this Minister are Indian men so pathetic and weak that when they see a woman in Western clothes on a day of revelry, they get out of control?” Kumaramangalam said.
(Feature image source: PTI)