Kanpur: Uttar Pradesh Women and Child Welfare Minister Aruna Kori on Sunday said it was not the government but the society which was responsible for incidents of rape, drawing flak from several quarters for her “insensitive and irresponsible” remarks.
Commenting on the recent rape of a teenage girl by two policemen in Badaun district, the minister said “…It’s not government which is responsible for this, but the society… “People who assault and rape minors should be immediately brought to book and as soon as we receive information regarding such crimes we order an inquiry and punish the guilty… The government as well as the society should work together to bring in a change in the society,” the minister said. Political leaders, including those from BSP, BJP and Congress, and women’s commission members have criticised the minister for her “irresponsible” comments. Reacting to the minister’s remarks, BSP leader Sudhindra Bhadoria said, “This is an irresponsible comment on her part… The government has not been able to stop rapes.. And to hide their inefficiency they are making such statements.” (PTI)