Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has lashed out at Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal over the charge of a girl’s sexual abuse, alleging that the claim that the act was consensual could not be true.
“Someone told me that this man (Tarun Tejpal) is saying that it is consensual. I wonder what he must have done within four minutes and that too in a lift,” Mr. Parrikar reacted on Sunday evening addressing a function in south Goa.
He said that Mr. Tejpal by recusing himself for six months has admitted to the act.
“By taking six month recuse from his position, this man has agreed to his felony. It is unfortunate that this man wants to take sanyas and come back in six months,” the Chief Minister said.
The Goa police have already filed first information report against Mr. Tejpal for raping and outraging modesty of the girl.
A state police team has taken the statement of Tehelka Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhary and other witnesses whom the victim had spoken to.
Mr. Parrikar said that the police are doing their duty by having filed the FIR against Tejpal, whose conduct is “inhuman”.
“What he has done is inhuman,” Mr. Parikkar said.
Mr. Parrikar said that the incident is an indication of downgrading of educational values in the country.
“I fear people will lose their interest in education and wonder as to what is the value of education,” he said.
Going by this episode “one can imagine what must be going in the minds of parents while sending their daughters to outstation destinations for sports or any event accompanied by male teachers,” he added.
