LUCKNOW: In a controversial remark, Uttar Pradesh Governor Aziz Qureshi today said incidents of rapes could not be stopped even if entire police force was deployed for women's safety and only a divine intervention could check such crimes.
Qureshi's statement comes after SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav stirred up a controversy earlier with his statement that even with 21 crore people in Uttar Pradesh, the number of such cases were the least in the state.
"Even if the entire police force is deployed then also rape will not end...ocurrence of rape cannot be stopped", Qureshi, the officiating governor told a TV news channel.
"It is possible perhaps if the god takes an incarnation and comes down otherwise crime cannot be controlled", Qureshi said, adding "there is a need to create public opinion, an atmosphere against crime and create fear among the culprits".
Later in the evening, Qureshi sought to clarify his remarks, saying he was quoted out of context.
"For stopping crime against women there is a need to change the mentality of society and stern action need to be taken against culprits and it was for stressing this that I had stated that entire police force cannot check rape otherwise, it can stop only when god takes an incarnation and come down", he told another TV channel.
The governor's remarks have come in for severe condemnation by political parties in the state with BJP stressing that it is most "unfortunate".
"The governor issuing such a statement is most unfortunate...It lowers the dignity of his office and also harms the sentiments of the majority of people", Lucknow unit president of the BJP, Manohar Singh said.