CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday denied saying that most of the rape cases which are registered with the police are fake, after being severely criticised by the Opposition parties for ''justifying the horrific crime against women.''
''I didn't say consent. I said most of the cases of rapes happen between known people. I did not say anything on my own and what I said was based on investigations. These issues should be dealt with firmly. There should be no politics over the same,'' Haryana CM Khattar was quoted as saying by ANI.
Maine sehmati nahi kaha, maine between known kaha. Ye meri oer se kahi gayi baat nahi hai yeh investigations se aaya fact hai. Isse samajik taur pe deal karna chahiye, isme raajneeti nahi dekhni chahiye: Haryana CM ML Khattar on his earlier remark on rape cases pic.twitter.com/WYKNzimvLf
— ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2018
Addressing a function in Kalka town of Panchkula district on Friday, Khattar had said, "The incidents of rape have not increased... Rapes used to take place in the past and even today as well. (Only) the concern (over such incidents) has increased.''
''The biggest concern is that in 80 to 90 percent of rape and eve-teasing cases, the accused and the victim know each other. In many cases, they know each other for a long time and, on one day, when there is an argument (between them over some issue)... An FIR is lodged, saying, 'He has raped me'," Khattar had said.
#WATCH:Haryana CM ML Khattar says,“Sabse badi chinta yeh hai ki yeh ghatnayein jo hain rape aur Chhed chhad ki, 80-90% jankaro ke beech mein hoti hai.Kafi samay ke liye Ikhatte ghumte hain, ek din anban hogai, uss din utha karke FIR karwa dete hain ‘isne mujhe rape kiya’.”(15.11) pic.twitter.com/jZWy3h3fK2
— ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018
Khattar's remarks on rape evoked a sharp response from the Opposition parties including Congress, which said that Haryana CM's statement exposed his ''anti-women mindset.''
Hitting out at the Haryana CM, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala termed Khattar's statement as ''deplorable''.
"Anti-Women Mindset of Khattar Govt Exposed! Haryana CM Khattar ji makes an utterly condemnable remark. Blaming Women for complete failures to control Rapes & Gangrapes? Deplorable!," Surjewala tweeted.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal too slammed his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar for "justifying rape" after the latter claimed that most of the rape cases filed were "fake".
Sharing Khattar`s speech on Twitter, Kejriwal said, "If this is the mentality of a state`s Chief Minister then how do you expect the women to be safe?
"CM sir is justifying rape. This is the reason why incidences of rape are increasing in Haryana and rapists are not caught... they roam around free."
Attacking the Haryana CM for allegedly saying that most of the girls who hang out with boys get raped, Congress leader Shobha Ozha said the CM's statement showed the seriousness with which the state government was protecting the dignity of women.
This is not the first time that Khattar has blamed girls for rapes.
In 2014, the Haryana Chief Minister had asked girls to dress 'decently' to prevent rapes. His statement led to major controversy at the time.
