No Defending the Indefensible

Ramesh Kumar says sorry for ‘rape’ comment, but then retorts to media, ‘No Apology, No Shame’

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: “Indefensible,” said Congress general Secretary Priyanka Gandhi. “Bring Kumar to justice,” said the shrill Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani.

A day after former Karnataka Speaker and Srinivasapura Congress MLA K.R. Ramesh Kumar made his outrageous ‘enjoy rape’ remark in the Legislative Assembly, the nation and twitter exploded in anger with politicians cutting across party lines and prominent individuals from all walks of life slamming the veteran politician-who also served as health minister and was even tipped to become chief minister once - while calling for his resignation.

Irani’s reaction came during protests by the Opposition in parliament demanding the resignation of Union Minister Ajay Misra ‘Teni’ for his alleged involvement in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. It happened on Wednesday when current Assembly Speaker Visveshwara Hegde Kageri was chairing a long debate on the delay in payment of relief to flood victims with several members clamouring to express their views. Apparently reacting to the plight of Kageri, Kumar quipped, “there is a saying that when rape is inevitable lie down and enjoy it”. None of the members seemed to realise the seriousness of his remarks then but after it went viral, social media was flooded with condemnation of Kumar with people urging the Congress high command to sack him. On Friday, twitter went viral with anti-Kumar posts with the controversy reverberating in parliament too.