After several women were molested on New Year's eve in Bengaluru's commercial hub MG Road and adjoining Brigade Road despite massive police presence, the Congress-led government's home minister G Parameshwara attributed the incident to "western ways".
Apart from him, Samajwadi Party member Abu Azmi was also caught with his foot in the mouth over remarks he made on women who were molested. Both men have now been summoned by National Commission for Women Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam.
Also read: After mass molestation on New Year's Eve, Bengaluru women call for harsh punishments
On Saturday night, according to police, 60,000 people came for New Year celebrations and 1,600 police personnel were deployed in the area. However, towards midnight women were molested, pawed upon, and lewd remarks were passed at them. The police could only help some, not all.
4:55 pm IST: "Few men across parties have made disgusting stmts. If men at this level say such things, where is nation heading? We have sent summons to both of them (Karnataka Home Minister and Abu Azmi) over their statements," said Lalitha Kumaramangalam NCW Chief.
3:48 pm IST: "It's easy to mouth rubbish like "women should not do this, not wear that, not go there' but talk of rules for men and lots of guys go, 'WTF'. One way to stop women getting molested isn't to ask them to dress 'modestly' but to ban public revelry by men without a woman chaperone," said The Wire's editor-in-chief Siddharth Varadarajan.
3:05 pm IST: Bengaluru Molestation: Ten of the worst comments against women by Indian politicians
Karnataka's Home Minister, G. Parameshwara, put his foot (size unknown) in his mouth with his comment that "these kind of things do happen" [sic] in response to the mass molestation that shamed Bengaluru's citizens on New Year's Eve. He also blamed young people for "copying the West". Read more...
2:14 pm IST: Samajwadi Party member Abu Azmi said that the lesser clothes a woman wears the more fashionable they are called in "modern times". "If my sister or daughter goes out celebrating on December 31 after sundown with a strange man without their brother or husband then it's wrong," he added.
"If there's petrol and there's a fire nearby it will catch fire. If there's sugar fallen then ants will definitely come their. Many people might get angry at me for saying this, but this is the truth," he said.
1:59 pm IST: "We need to teach children from a young age that consent is of utmost importance. We need to stop victim shaming," said a Twitter user.
On Bengaluru being compared to Delhi, one Twitter user said, "Bangalore new year news is shocking and horrifying but plz don't compare Bangalore to Delhi. There is a huge gap bw both the cities."
1:04 pm IST:
Women are not symbol of physical pleasure. What happened in Bangalore on new year's eve is massacre on ideals regarding freedom of women
— pachvaa (@pachvaa) January 3, 2017
1:02 pm IST:
Bangalore Women Molestation incident proved that though its a New year but Mindset is still Old.
— Mask (@LootPadiHai) January 3, 2017
12:27 pm IST:
Bangalore Mass molestation n eve teasing on d New Year Eve
— Debu Nayak (@NayakDebu) January 3, 2017
was perhaps fully planned by the offenders,like 'LootingaBank' or something.
12:26 pm IST:
Last newyear witnessed rampant mistreatment of women in Cologne. This newyear eve was peaceful. Credit goes to police
Bangalore can learn— कुवलयमाला (@Kuvalayamala) January 2, 2017
11:40 am IST: "If we are given coordinates of any lady molested on 31st at M G Rd, we the police will visit her and take appropriate action without delay," Commissioner of Police, Praveen Sood, tweeted on Tuesday.
11:20 am IST: "Unfortunate. How can such incidents happen? Strict action must be taken," said Kiren Rijiju, MoS Home.
On Monday, Sood had said, "Even without a complainant if police finds credible evidence of molestation a case will be registered suo motto without waiting."
State home minister Parameshwara faced major criticism after he said that these incidents happen and blamed "western ways", again flinging the onus of safety on the woman. The National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam on Monday sought his resignation for the remark and demanded that he apologise to the women of the country.
"Such remarks from the home minister are 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?"she said.
