Bengaluru: Home minister K.J. George, who is embroiled in a controversy over his statement on gangrape that drew severe flak from parties and activists, including National Commission for Women (NCW), took a complete U-turn on Friday, saying: “… Rape is a rape, whether it is committed by one person or a group of people. It is a heinous crime and it is condemnable.”
On Wednesday, Mr George had refused to admit that the 22-year BPO employee was gangraped by two drivers in a van in Bengaluru. He allegedly asked: “How can you say it is a gang rape? Gangrape means sexual assault by four or five people.”
Following protests by Opposition parties and activists for his “insensitive” statement, Mr George on Friday said that he was “quoted out of context”. As a damage control measure, he clarified, “Public perception of gang rape is sexual assault by a group of people and here the incident involves two people.”
He said that the case has been booked under Section 376 D of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which attracts not less than 20 years of prison term that may be extend to life.
Police Commissioner N.S. Megharik said; “Where a woman is raped by one or more persons, constituting a group or acting in furtherance of a common intention, each of those persons shall be deemed to have committed the offence of rape and shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment under Section 376 D of Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013.”
Asked whether he was regretting his statement, Mr George said; “It is not a question of regretting or not regretting. I just presented the public perception of gangrape.”
