Parents of the December 16 gang-rape victim are deeply disturbed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s recent statement terming the gang-rape incident a “small rape incident”.
While addressing a Tourism Ministers conference, Mr. Jaitley on Thursday said, “One small incident of rape in Delhi was enough to cost million dollars in terms of lower number of tourists. We have national responsibility and God has given us everything which tourists want to see, we just have to catalyse that process and make sure of that we take right step.”
The aggrieved father questioned the Finance Minister for linking the gruesome incident to the losses incurred by the tourism industry. “An honest citizen lost her life, isn’t that a loss to the nation?” he asked.
He also said that instead of saying such things the Minister should rather focus on making the country a better place so that more tourists visit. “By saying such things he has proved that his thoughts are petty. Instead of saying such things, the Minister should rather focus on improving the law and order situation of the country so that people come here. Why will people come to India? Everyday we hear about some or the other incident of rape and molestation,” said the victim’s father.
The trainee paramedic’s mother, who is still to get over the trauma of losing her 23-year-old daughter, also reacted strongly to the Minister's remarks. “The Minister thinks he is losing millions because of the rape incident but he is not able to understand what we, as parents of a young, educated girl have lost,” she said.
“When politicians wanted vote they used my daughter’s name and highlighted the incident. Now they are saying that they are losing money because the incident got highlighted. If the government wants to increase tourism they should improve infrastructure. They should make tourists feel safe in the country,” she added. The trainee physiotherapist was brutally gang-raped inside a moving bus here by six people on December 16, 2012, leading to grievous injuries which eventually led to her death. The horrific incident had shaken the conscience of the entire nation.
