Karnataka Congress MLA K R Ramesh Kumar apologizes after uproar over his ‘rape’ comment in Parliament, facing severe backlash.
The comment was made when on Thursday several MLAs demanded more time to discuss issues concerning farmers, the Speaker asked aloud how he could run the session if time was allotted to everyone. Telling members to take a decision on their own, he looked at former Speaker Kumar and said, “I feel let’s enjoy the situation. I can’t keep this under control and take it forward in a systematic way.” It was in response to this comment that MLA K R Ramesh Kumar stood up and drew the comparison to rape and said, “When rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it” and the Karnataka Speaker, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri is heard laughing at his comment.
After there was massive outrage over his comment, the former Speaker and senior Congress legislator K R Ramesh Kumar Friday apologized in the House and said that “people have given their verdict and accordingly I am begging their pardon”.
Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar tweeted that the party “condemns the words spoken by one of our own legislators” in the assembly.
“The insensitive remarks against women are contrary to the values of gender equality the Congress party champions. While we note that the legislator has tendered an apology, the incident in the assembly is a sign that all of us men in politics need to do better to shed our inherent regressive attitudes towards women,” Shivakumar tweeted.
He also said, “While we note that the legislator has tendered an apology, the incident in the assembly is a sign that all of us men in politics need to do better to shed our inherent regressive attitudes towards women.”
He wrote on Twitter, “As the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, I am deeply saddened that such words were uttered by a Congress MLA. To all the women of Karnataka, I am sorry and I will ensure words like these are never repeated.”
DK Shivakumar
@DKShi
As the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, I am deeply saddened that such words were uttered by a Congress MLA. To all the women of Karnataka, I am sorry and I will ensure words like these are never repeated. https://t.co/xtvdoS1NpK
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) December 17, 2021
The Congress party condemns the words spoken by one of our own legislators in the Karnataka assembly. The insensitive remarks against women are contrary to the values of gender equality the Congress party champions.
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— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) December 17, 2021
While we note that the legislator has tendered an apology, the incident in the assembly is a sign that all of us men in politics need to do better to shed our inherent regressive attitudes towards women.
2/2
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) December 17, 2021
Kumar’s comment from Thursday drew widespread denunciation, including from his own party’s general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who described it as “indefensible”. Tweeting that she “wholeheartedly” condemns Kumar’s statement, Priyanka wrote: “It is inexplicable how anyone can ever utter such words, they are indefensible. Rape is a heinous crime. Full stop.”
On Friday, as several women MLAs raised the issue as soon as the Karnataka Assembly convened, Kumar said in a statement: “My intention was never to demean the prestige of this House or behave in an inferior way. I will not defend myself. I tender my sincere apology for my utterance during the proceedings of the House if it has hurt people from any part of the country.”
Congress reacted and called it ‘unacceptable” and BJP, NCW slam Karnataka MLA
Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, who had laughed at Kumar’s remark on Thursday, who inevitably also apologized to the members and asked them not to take the issue further.
On Friday, Kumar cited Chinese philosopher Confucius and said: “To own a mistake, ends up in a single mistake. To deny a mistake amounts to multiple mistakes.” He also apologized to the Speaker for the statement that made him laugh and thereby draw criticism.
Earlier, Kumar’s party colleague and Khanapur MLA Anjali Nimbalkar tweeted: “The House shall apologize to the entire womanhood, every mother, sister and daughter of this nation for such an obnoxious and shameless behavior.” Another Congress MLA Sowmya Reddy tweeted: “This is just NOT ok. There needs to be an apology.”