Self proclaimed godman Asaram Bapu has attracted severe criticism by giving controversial remarks over Dec 16 Delhi gang rape victim by stating that "the victim is as guilty as her rapists" and that she should have "begged" in front of the culprits.
Both ruling ally of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government Congress Party and opposition Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) have bitterly condemned him and demanded to withdraw his statement.
Spiritual leader Asaram Bapu Monday reportedly stated that the Delhi gang-rape victim should have called her culprits brothers and recited the Saraswati mantra.
"She should have called the culprits brothers and begged before them to stop. This could have saved her dignity and life. Can one hand clap? I don't think so," CNN-IBN quoted Asaram Bapu as saying in a Jaipur-datelined report.
"Had she recited the Saraswati mantra, she would not have boarded any bus after watching a movie with her boyfriend," he added.
Asaram Bapu further said that he is against harsher punishments for the accused as the law could be misutilised.
"We have often seen such laws are made to be misutilised... Dowry harassment law is the biggest example," he said.
Slamming the comment, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said, "Such comments should be condemned as much as possible."
He was backed by party colleague Rashid Alvi who said, "Political leaders, including religious leaders, must give serious thought before they speak out."
BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said Asaram Bapu's statement is regrettable and deeply disturbing and painful.
"He is a religious guru, the country looks up towards him. And, I am sure he knows that in the 'Hindu Chintan' women of the country have been accorded a very pride of place and dignity. Similarly, in our Constitution also, there is a clear provision of granting the status of equality to our women and no discrimination. In this light, for him to make the statement in relation to a crime, which has shocked the conscious of the country, is not only unfortunate, but deeply regrettable that a courageous daughter of India ought to have begged the accused to spare her," said Prasad.
"Sorry, it is not acceptable. We would expect Sri Asaram Bapuji to kindly reflect, introspect and withdraw the statement, which I think he needs to do," he added.
The spiritual guru's remark comes at a time when the entire nation is mourning the death of the 23-year-old brave heart who died in a Singapore hospital 13 days later after the heinous crime.
The victim, a physiotherapy student, was brutally raped and assaulted in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012. She died of her injuries on December 29, 2012 in the multi-specialty Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.
Her male friend, who was accompanying her that day, was also assaulted by the accused and both of them were thrown out of the bus.
--With Agencies Inputs--
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