An incident in the Karnataka assembly involving former assembly speaker Ramesh Kumar and incumbent speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri has sparked a controversy after the former passed a comment trivialising rape.
During the winter session of the Karnataka legislature yesterday, when several members demanded time to discuss farmers’ issues, Kageri said that if he had to accommodate every request, he would not be able to run the house. He urged members to decide among themselves as to who would speak, and said, “I feel, I should sit back and enjoy the situation as I am unable to control or take it (discussion) forward in a systematic way.”
In response to this, Ramesh Kumar joked, “There is a saying, when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy.... That is exactly the same position in which you are in.”
No member of the house objected to the remark made by the veteran, and the speaker laughed it off. To make matters worse, Kageri’s response today came as an even bigger shock.
While Ramesh Kumar expressed regret today over his remark and extended his apologies to women, Kageri sought an end to the controversy instead of allowing the members keen to speak out on the issue. Women MLAs cutting across the party lines condemned the attitude of the veterans, who have occupied significant posts.
“I am saddened that you (Kageri) have been unnecessarily dragged into the controversy due to my comment yesterday,” said Kumar. “Let us not get into allegations and counter-allegations. My intention was never to insult or harass anyone. I apologise to every and any woman in the country if my remarks have hurt them. I will keep aside my prestige and with a clean heart and honesty, I express regret.”
When the women MLAs rose to speak, Kageri silenced them saying: “Let us not prolong the issue. He has already apologised. I would like to clarify before the house that all of us have families and emotions and relationships.
“Yesterday when I said let us enjoy the situation, what Ramesh Kumar said has now sparked a controversy. We all are committed to treating women with respect. So, there is no need to blow up the controversy. It ends here. I request each one of you not to raise the issue anywhere.”
After the video of the incident went viral on Thursday night, Ramesh Kumar tweeted: “I would like to express my sincere apologies to everyone for the indifferent and negligent comment I made in today’s assembly about “rape!” My intention was not to trivialise or make light of the heinous crime, but an off-the-cuff remark! I will choose my words carefully henceforth.”
Congress MLA Roopa Shashidhar said: “These people are educated and enlightened and we don’t expect them to trivialise women’s issues. They are people who have occupied responsible positions. They should correct themselves. No one should dare speak in such derogatory terms. Previously also, all the women MLAs had asked the members never to use the word rape in a lighter vein.”
After the incident yesterday, former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa condemned the remark and demanded Ramesh Kumar’s apology saying, “He (Ramesh Kumar) gives big advice to people always. But his statement yesterday was in bad taste and derogatory and insulting to women. It was arrogant behaviour on his part. It is unpardonable as it happened inside the assembly. I condemn it and demand he apologise.”
AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala in his tweet said, “Congress Party disapproves the exchange of highly objectionable and insensitive banter between Karnataka Assembly Speaker and Senior Congress MLA in the House. Speaker as custodian and senior legislators are expected to be role models and should desist from such unacceptable behaviour.”
As an after thought KPCC D. K. Shivakumar tweeted, "As the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, I am deeply saddened that such words were uttered by a Congress MLA. To all the women of Karnataka, I am sorry and I will ensure words like these are never repeated. The Congress party condemns the words spoken by one of our own legislators in the Karnataka assembly. The insensitive remarks against women are contrary to the values of gender equality the Congress party champions. While we note that the legislator has tendered an apology, the incident in the assembly is a sign that all of us men in politics need to do better to shed our inherent regressive attitudes towards women."
