Facing flak over his comments on rape victims, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh did a U-turn on Monday saying he had only spoken about justice to the rape victims and not about providing government jobs to them.
“We have said about justice to the rape victims, this [providing jobs to them] has been added to it,” he told journalists when asked about his statement on Sunday of providing government jobs to rape victims.
The SP leader said stern action would be taken against rapists if his party came to power in the State.
Addressing a poll rally in Siddharth Nagar on Sunday, Mr. Singh announced that rape victims would be given government jobs if his party was voted to power in Uttar Pradesh. “The incidents of rape will be checked effectively and government jobs will be given to rape victims or one of their family members in the State,” he had said.
Opposition parties had sharply reacted to Mr. Singh's announcement terming it “laughable” and a “cruel joke.”
BJP leader Uma Bharti said Mr. Singh lacked understanding of social concerns.
Weird promise:
Tirath In New Delhi, Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath termed Mr. Singh's promise “weird.” “This is weird thinking. This is wrong,” Ms. Tirath told journalists. “We should help the rape victim, but not by giving such greed ... We have laws,” she said.
Taking a dig at Mr. Singh, she said, “Elections are happening. They can say anything ... such statements are not right.”
