Bengaluru, April 7 (IANS) The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed the remarks of Home Minister G. Parameshwara over the incident of molestation of two women in Bengaluru and termed the words as “irresponsible”.
Reacting to the rise in incidents of sexual assaults and harassment in Bengaluru during the night hours, Parameshwara, said on Monday with reference to the latest episode that “such incidents happen here and there in a big city”.
State unit BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra on Monday said: “Regarding the recent assault incident on a young woman in BTM Layout, Bengaluru, the irresponsible statement made by Home Minister G. Parameshwara amounts to an open admission that law and order in the state has completely collapsed.”
Since the Congress came to power in Karnataka, there has been a continuous series of crimes including murder, robbery, extortion, assaults, and rapes targeting women and children, he slammed.
The administration’s approach to such incidents appears to suggest that there is nothing unusual about them, and they do not need to be taken seriously. This is the sorry state of law and order in the state. The Home Minister’s statement downplaying the harassment of a young woman in broad daylight as a “routine incident” has tarnished the image and dignity of the state on an international level. His remarks reflect nothing but his incompetence, Vijayendra slammed.
“It is extremely unfortunate that the Home Minister routinely brushes off serious incidents with casual remarks, as he has done with the BTM Layout case. The Chief Minister must take moral responsibility and make a public statement about the failure of law and order in the state.
“This statement by the Home Minister clearly proves that the Congress government has completely failed in maintaining law and order and in protecting women. As long as this government remains in power, peace and safety for the people of the state will remain a distant dream,” he added.
Responding to a media query about the sexual harassment case that came to light on Sunday, Parameshwara said, “I have advised the Bengaluru Police Commissioner to remain vigilant every day. Police patrolling must be carried out effectively and in a disciplined manner in all localities of Bengaluru city.”
He added: “Public attention naturally gets drawn when such incidents are reported. We will not ignore them — the police department is working continuously.”
“Such incident happens here and there in such a big city, but we will take appropriate legal action in each case,” he stated.
A video showing two young women being targeted by a man in the early hours in a residential locality went viral on social media, raising serious concerns over women’s safety in Bengaluru.
The 17-second video shows two women walking down a deserted street flanked by houses on both sides. A tall, well-built man approaches from behind, pushes one of the women aside, sexually harasses the other, and then escapes. The video also captures the visibly shaken women standing briefly to catch their breath before quickly leaving the scene.
The incident occurred at around 2 a.m. on April 4 in the jurisdiction of the Sadduguntepalya police station. The video went viral on Sunday. Police have registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by a local resident and have launched a search for the accused while collecting additional evidence.
–IANS
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