Stocking a fresh controversy Samajwadi Party national president Mulayam Singh Yadav advocated leniency for rape accused saying "sometimes boys make mistake" and promised change in anti-rape laws if his party comes to power.
"Rape me kya phansi di jayagiIJ larko se galti ho jati hai. Hamari Sarkar ayegi to kanoon me badlav hoga (Can boys be given death in rape cases. Youngsters tend to makemistakes. If our government comes to power anti-rape law would be amended)," he said during an election meeting at Jama Masjid Ground in Moradabad city in support of SP candidate Dr S T Hasan on Thursday.
He was referring to the recent punishment given to three youths in the Mumbai photo journalist gang rape case. "How the rape accused could be given capital punishment on the statement of the victim," he asked.
The statement of Mulayam Singh Yadav's statement on rape accused has already evoked the sharp reactions from different quarters.
BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said that the statement came as no surprise as this party is anti-women. This is the party that supported terrorists and now the party chief is supporting rapists. This reflects on the leadership quality of Samajwadi Party," Pathak said.
Congress media committee chairman Satyadev Tripathi said Yadav’s statement is in a bad taste. "He is a senior and respected leader and should have avoided such comment," he said.
Women organisation too have objected to this statement.
State president All India Democratic Womens’ Association Madhu Garg said: "The statement shows the insensitivity of Yadav. The women goes through trauma and pain and here our senior leader is taking this issue so lightly. legal action should be taken against him."
This is second controversy Yadav has stoked in last fortnight. Earlier he had asked Shiksha Mitra to votes for Samajwadi Party or they would be denied permanent Government job.
Early this week Samajwadi Party’s senior leader Mohammad Azam Khan had courted controversy when he said Muslims won the Kargil war for India. Election
Commission has issued a notice to Khan over his statement. He has been asked to give a reply by Friday 5 pm.
