NEW DELHI: The AAP Tuesday said its Haryana unit chief Naveen Jaihind could not articulate his views properly while condemning the BJP government in Haryana for allegedly trying to bury the Rewari gang rape case.
Jaihind, the husband of Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal, Tuesday provoked a controversy over the alleged gang rape of the 19-year-old woman in the state, saying "he will give Rs 20 lakh to any BJP leader who gets sexually assaulted by 10 people".
He made the remarks in Rohtak while condemning the BJP government in Haryana for giving only Rs 2 lakh as compensation to the Rewari gang rape victim.
"The government thinks it can bury the issue by offering a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the victim but it will not happen. Jaihind was trying to raise this issue only. Maybe the way he articulated it was not proper,"senior AAP leader Atishi Marlena told reporters.
When contacted, Jaihind said that he stands by his comments.
"I stand by what I have said. You cannot disrespect any woman in society. The victim or her family are not asking for money, all they want is justice," he said over the phone.
The 19-year-old woman, a Class 12 topper from Rewari, was abducted from a bus stop in Mahendragarh district Wednesday.
She was allegedly drugged and gang raped in an agricultural field, police had said. Police have arrested three persons, including one of the prime accused, in connection with the incident. Two key accused are on the run.