Kejriwal condemns Khattar''s rape remark; Maliwal wants his removal

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 18

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday condemned the controversial remark of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on incidents of rape and raised the issue of their security in Haryana.

Irate Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal came down heavily on Khattar terming his statement “disgraceful and unpardonable” and requesting the Prime Minister to dismiss him.

“There is anger among women of Haryana on Khattar's statement. Women say that when a chief minister can make such comments against women, how can women be safe in his state,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

The DCW chief criticised Khattar saying no wonder women in Haryana are in very bad state today and crimes against women are increasing day by day.

Citing a report tabled in Haryana Assembly session, she pointed out that there has been a 47 per cent increase in the number of rape cases and more than 100 per cent increase in cases related to kidnapping of women. Overall, a 27 per cent increase in crime against women was recorded between 2014-15 and 2017-18.

“It is really unfortunate for our country that people with such mentality are governing our states.... It is not the first time that Khattar has shown this mentality,” she statedadding that in 2014 also, the Haryana CM in a statement had asked women to dress decently and had also mentioned that a boy would not even look at a girl the “wrong way” if she dressed “decently”.

“Is this the direction of New India where our Prime Minister wants to lead us?” she asked.

The DCW appealed to the PM to remove Khattar over his failure to respect freedom of choice and ensuring safety of women”.

Maliwal said that after making such a deplorable statement, he is now trying to defend by saying research backs his statement.

The fact that Haryana's half of the women are anaemic, only 55 per cent women are literate and the state has the least sex ratio in the country, its CM should focus on women's health, education and security instead of defending himself by making such bizarre statements one after another, said the commission.

Referring to the rape of a less than two years old child, Maliwal asked if the victim raped in Delhi also filed a false case. "What kind of sick mindset he suffers from. If he had even a shred of decency, he would have resigned. His statements have hurt the sentiments of Nirbhayas across the country," she tweeted.