Mulayam Singh was never known to be pro-women. He and his Samajwadi Party colleagues, along with the Yadav chieftains of Bihar, scuttled the women’s quota bill. But what he said Thursday surpassed all past records — he justified rape as a “mistake’’ that “boys commit’’.
The outrageous remark made in the midst of elections could not be condoned by any stretch of argument as Mulayam Singh is the head of the Samajwadi Party which has been asking for votes so that he can make a bid for the PM’s post.
Mulayam’s comment came in the context of death sentence awarded to convicts in the Mumbai photo-journalist gang-rape case. Appallingly, he said this while campaigning with the promise that if he gets to capture power, he’ll ensure the current rape law was repealed. “Should rape cases be punished with hanging? They are boys, they make mistakes’’, he said. The SP chief not just questioned the death sentence, he also accused the victim of falsely bringing charges against the convicts “after difference cropped up.’’ A complaint was lodged with the Election Commission.
BATTLE FOR INDIA
Over 50% of the 191 million voters voted in 14 States to elect 91 LS members on Thursday. A look at voter turnout in some States
Delhi
Voter Turnout: 64%
No of seats: 7
Madhya Pradesh
Voter Turnout: 58%
No of seats: 9
Maharashtra
Voter Turnout: 61%
No of seats: 10
Uttar Pradesh
Voter Turnout: 65%
No of seats: 10