MP Congress MLA Withdraws Controversial 'Rape Theory' Remarks After Outrage
Sources said that the Congress leadership has also strongly disapproved of his statement, leading him to withdraw his remarks
Bhopal: A day after his ‘rape theory’, attributing sexual assaults on women belonging to three particular backward communities to religious scriptures, sparked outrage, Congress MLA from Madhya Pradesh Phool Singh Bharaiya on Sunday withdrew his remarks, saying that “I don’t agree to it”.
In a video clarification, the lawmaker said that he had made the remarks by quoting an academician in a different context.
He did not endorse his statement.
“The (controversial) statement (given by me) is not mine. I have made the remarks by quoting an academician in a different context. I don’t agree with it. I myself do not appreciate it”, he said.
His clarification comes in the wake of severe flaks he had received from all quarters for his remarks, assigning the bizarre reasons for the rape of women particularly the females belonging to scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and other backward caste (OBC) groups.
In a recent interview to a media outlet, the MLA had blamed beauty of a woman for becoming a rape victim.
He had also said that a religious scripture, prescribing sexual relations with women of three backward communities to achieve religious merit without going on a pilgrimage, contributed to the rape of women of these communities.
Even as Congress had distanced itself from his statement, senior BJP leaders including chief minister Mohan Yadav castigated his remarks calling it ‘perverted mindset’.
Sources said that the Congress leadership has also strongly disapproved of his statement, leading him to withdraw his remarks.
