When Indian politicians shocked us with their misogynistic comments - in Pics

Two days back, senior Karnataka Congress leader and former Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar made a sexist and unsavoury comment on rape in the state Assembly. Speaking in the Assembly, Kumar said, "There is a saying that when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That is exactly the position in which you are." The senior Congress MLA's remark was made when MLAs began to demand time from Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri to discuss farmers` issues in the Assembly. (Pic: PTI)

Opposing capital punishment for rape, Mulayam Singh Yadav in 2014, during one of his election campaigns in Moradabad, had said. “Ladke ladke hain, galti ho jati hai. Ladkiyan pehle dosti karti hain. Ladke-ladki mein matbhed ho jata hai. Matbhed hone key baad usey rape ka naam dey deti hain. Ladko sey galti ho jati hai. Kya rape case mein phasi di jayegi?”  (Boys will be boys, they make mistakes. First girls develop friendships with boys. They when differences occur, they level rape charges. Boys commit mistakes. Will they be hanged for rape?).”

Early in 2021, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat had criticised young women for wearing ripped jeans and said, “Ghutne fatey dikhte hain, samaj ke beech me jaati ho, bachhey saath me hain, kya sanskar dogi?” The then CM said, talking about a woman, said she runs an NGO, goes out in society and has two children and so he wondered what values she would give them, considering the fact that she dons ripped denims.

Andhra Pradesh Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana had advised women to stay indoors in order to escape rape. “Just because India achieved freedom at midnight does not mean that women can venture out after dark. They should ensure that they do not board buses with few passengers,” he had said, much to the shock of reporters while talking about the Nirbhaya incident. “The woman should have thought twice before boarding the suspicious private bus that night. Though the incident was condemnable, she should also have behaved keeping in mind the situation,” he had added.

Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan had made a 'khaki underwear’ comment on actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada. At a rally, he had reportedly said, "I brought her (Jaya Prada) to Rampur. You are a witness that I did not allow anyone to touch her body. It took you 17 years to identify her real face but I got to know in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear."

BJP leader Dayashankar Singh's remark on Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati had stirred controversy in the past. "Even a prostitute fulfils her commitment after she is paid. But Mayawati sells party tickets to anyone who paid her the highest amount. If someone gives her Rs 1 crore for a ticket, she will give it to other person who is offering Rs 2 crore," he had allegedly said.