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`Anyone ever got raped in your family`: Nirbhaya`s mother blasts Karnataka MLA for `enjoy rape` remarks
As the anger grows over former Karnataka Assembly speaker`s horrid remarks over rape, the mother of Nirbhaya - the woman whose rape in Delhi had triggered nationwide protests in the year 2012 - blasted MLA KR Ramesh Kumar and demanded for his sacking.
As the anger grows over former Karnataka Assembly speaker's horrid remarks over rape, the mother of Nirbhaya - the woman whose rape in Delhi had triggered nationwide protests in the year 2012 - blasted MLA KR Ramesh Kumar and demanded for his sacking on Zee Media's Taal Thok Ke programme.
In an emotional outburst, Asha Devi touched upon a larger perspective - that the leader's horrid remarks were met with guffaws, instead of condemnation by the Speaker and other sitting members of the assembly.
In a video, later shared widely on social media, many lawmakers and Speaker of the House were seen laughing and giggling in reaction to the MLA's remarks in the assembly.
Asha Devi said that everyone, including the Speaker, who laughed in reaction to the MLA's comment also deserve sacking from the Assembly.
"Why did the Speaker laugh? Why didn't the MLA control their laughter? Everyone laughed, everyone enjoyed. They all should be sacked," an emotional Devi said in Zee Media's Taal Thok Ke programme.
"Some gentleman just said - rape me. Does he even understand what rape is? Has anyone in his family ever got raped?" Asha Devi said.
Senior Congress leader KR Ramesh Kumar had used a distasteful proverb during a discussion in Karnataka Assembly, triggering massive outrage. "There is a saying that when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That is exactly the position which you are in," KR Ramesh Kumar had said, drawing shocking guffaws from the other members.
The remarks triggered massive outrage and were even mentioned during the proceedings in Lok Sabha.
Union Minister Smriti Irani demanded the sacking of the MLA and an apology from Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.
Later, the MLA apologised for what he called his "indifferent and negligent" comment in the state assembly. He, however, still didn't offer an unconditional apology and described it as an "off-the-cuff remark" in his clarification.