Leaders cutting across party lines have condemned senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in Legislative Council K.S. Eshwarappa’s controversial remark against the local Kannada television channel woman journalist here on Saturday.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Eshwarappa, has made a shocking remark, asking a woman journalist what could his party do if she was raped by someone.
“You are here, if someone takes you, rapes you then what can opposition do,” Mr. Eshwarappa asked the journalist, at the funeral of a police sub-inspector, who was stabbed to death by robbers on Friday.
The BJP leader, who admitted to owning a currency counting machine at his residence, is popular for his controversial remarks.
Speaking presspersons, former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar condemned Mr. Eshwarappa’s remarks and said “it is not correct” to make such a statement.
BJP MP and former Minister Shobha Karandlaje too condemned the statement. Mr Eshwarappa’s insensitive remarks shocked the media fraternity in Bengaluru. In the past too, Eshwarappa has been criticised for his comments.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) women wing president Lakshmi Hebbalkar said “Mr Eshwarappa is unfit for the post of the leader of the opposition in the council.” The Congress has decided to stage a protest condemned the remark of the BJP leader in the city on Sunday.
The JD(S) spokesperson Ramesh Babu demanded expulsion of Mr Eshwarappa from the party and sought an apology from the BJP leader.
A few days ago, Home Minister K.J. George’s remarks that rape by two men cannot be termed as gang rape. Commenting on the alleged sexual assault on a BPO employee by two men in a van, Mr. George had said, “How can you say gang rape? Gang rape means four-five people.”
