Home minister’s remarks on molestation case spark row
Parameshwara said he was in regular touch with the city’s police commissioner B Dayananda and was monitoring developments in the case closely
Bengaluru: Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara stoked a controversy on Monday after commenting on a recent incident of sexual harassment in Bengaluru, triggering protests from the Bharatiya Janata Party that accused him of downplaying a serious crime.
His remarks has come under sharp criticism for his comments on a recent incident of sexual harassment in Bengaluru, where a woman was allegedly groped by a man on a city street. His response — calling such incidents occasional in a large city — triggered outrage from the opposition BJP, which accused him of downplaying a serious crime and failing to ensure women’s safety.
In the early hours of April 3, CCTV footage from BTM Layout in Bengaluru showed a man stalking two women and groping one of them before fleeing. The footage, widely shared on social media, sparked public concern and led the police to initiate action.
On Monday, Parameshwara said he was in regular touch with the city’s police commissioner B Dayananda and was monitoring developments in the case closely.
“Such incidents do take place once in a while in such a large city,” he said.
“Beats should be more effective, monitoring should be done, and there must be regular patrolling, we tell every day. But, when such isolated incidents happen, it attracts people’s attention. Do we just let it slide?” he added.
The minister said that the police were committed to keeping the city peaceful and that the law would take its course in the current case.
On Sunday, the police registered a case under sections 74 (molestation), 75 (sexual harassment), and 78 (stalking) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The accused, whose identity is yet to be confirmed, is seen trailing the two women at around 1:55 am before committing the offence.
Deputy commissioner of police (southeast Bengaluru) Sarah Fathima said the case was filed after the video surfaced online. “A person had put the video on social media. Taking cognisance of the video, we have registered a case. We have identified the person who had posted the video online. We have also spoken to the victims and built confidence in them. The accused will be nabbed soon,” she said.
Fathima also noted that the investigation was being hampered by the unclear visuals in the footage. “The video is not very clear, and this is why we are taking time to identify him. Five teams on the ground are working on the case,” she added.
Parameshwara’s remarks sparked backlash with Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra calling it irresponsible.
“The irresponsible statement of the home minister Dr Parameshwara regarding the incident of violence against a young woman in BTM Layout, Bengaluru, is an admission of the complete collapse of the legal system in the state. Since the day he came to power, a series of murders, extortions, robberies, violence against girls and rapes have been reported,” Vijayendra wrote on social media.
He added that the minister consistently responded in a dismissive manner to serious crimes, and called on the chief minister to assume moral responsibility for the alleged failures in governance.
In New Delhi, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla demanded that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra seek the resignation of Parameshwara.
HT tried to get response from the Congress on the matter but no one responded.
(With PTI inputs).
