Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s comments on rape yesterday attracted widespread outrage with political parties, tinsel town celebrities and the parents of the December 16, 2012 rape victim condemning it roundly.
Women activists too criticised the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister for his comment made on Thursday at an election rally in the state’s Moradabad city that rapists should not be sent to gallows as “young boys make such mistakes”.
Voicing outrage at the comment, the father of the gang-rape victim urged people not to elect such a leader as he does not “honour” women.
“Yadav failed to provide security to women in his governance. If he would have thought of providing security to women, he would have never given such kind of statement,” the victim’s father said.
The mother of the 23-year-old victim, who died of her injuries in a Singapore hospital two weeks after the assault, called Yadav a “disgusting and shameless” politician and urged voters to reject leaders who “don’t understand the torture women go through”.
His comments hurt us so much,” the mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said. “Every day women get raped and they are all mistakes? He talks about doing away with the death sentence for rapists but parents like us feel even death is not enough for rapists. They deserve worse.”
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) senior leader Satish Chandra Mishra termed the statement “deplorable” and said such remarks would end up encouraging criminals and rapists.
“Such a statement is deplorable, more as it comes from a man who has been the chief minister thrice and a former defence minister,” Mishra said in Lucknow.
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman termed the statement as “dangerous” and claimed the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh has been unable to protect women in the state and Mulayam Singh was making such statements in order to hide their shortcomings.
Reacting strongly, women rights activist Ranjana Kumari said that the Samajwadi Party is emerging as the party which is totally “against women and their upliftment”.
She was also referring to Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi who had said that women including rape victims who have sex outside marriage should be hanged.
“Comments by such a senior leader is not only objectionable, but also it is sad and shameful. Mulayam Singh’s remarks show how much respect he has for women in his heart, and how irresponsible he is towards women’s security,” Congress party spokesman Meem Afzal said.
Bollywood celebrities, Vidya Balan and Dia Mirza, too slammed Mulayam Singh’s remark.
National Award-winning actress Vidya has said that rape should never be pardoned. “Capital punishment is a very contentious issue but it is the worst of crimes that should not be pardoned. I completely disagree with anyone who says that ‘boys will be boys, they will make mistakes’,” Vidya said in Mumbai.
“Now this is sure that I will not give my vote to him (Yadav),” she added.