Zee Media Bureau/Ajith Vijay Kumar
New Delhi: They lost their daughter and they know it pains. Delhi braveheart Nirbhaya`s parents, Friday, joined the nation in condemning the shocking insensitivity displayed by Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on rape.
“If a senior politician like Mulayam Singh Yadav makes such comments then it`s worrying, it is sad,” said Nirbhaya`s father, adding that the safety of women is at stake because of leaders like him.
“I appeal to people not to let them come to power,” he said.
Nirbahaya`s mother said, “Targeting a girl and committing atrocities on her is not a mere mistake.”
Mulayam Singh Yadav had questioned capital punishment to rapists and said "boys commit mistakes" for which they should not be hanged.
Addressing a rally in Moradabad, Yadav even went to the extent of saying that his party will scrap death penalty for repeat rape offenders if voted to power at the Centre.
His comment has drawn criticism from activists, politicians and the common public with demands being raised that the EC should take cognisance of it and an FIR must be lodged against him for making such a statement.
While the Congress slammed Yadav saying the comments were "unfortunate", BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said the comment smacked of Yadav playing "minority politics" in the backdrop of recent Muzaffarnagar riots in which many women were allegedly raped.
"Mulayam Singh Yadav must have thought of playing minority politics in Nirbhaya case also," he said, adding there was no law which provides for death sentence to juveniles and under the Juvenile Act, they are released in three years for these offences.
Former Chairman of National Commission for Women Poornima Advani said, "Public apology is the least. The Election Commission should take up this matter. This is a negative and useless election stunt which is going to hit him hard. And, I am sure he will be voted out."
