FACING severe backlash for his comment that “when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it” while describing a situation in the Karnataka Assembly, former Speaker and senior Congress legislator K R Ramesh Kumar Friday apologised in the House and said that “people have given their verdict and accordingly I am begging their pardon”.
Kumar’s comment from Thursday drew widespread condemnation, including from his own party’s general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who described it as “indefensible”. Tweeting that she “wholeheartedly” condemns Kumar’s statement, Priyanka wrote: “It is inexplicable how anyone can ever utter such words, they are indefensible. Rape is a heinous crime. Full stop.”
On Friday, as several women MLAs raised the issue as soon as the Karnataka Assembly convened, Kumar said in a statement: “My intention was never to demean the prestige of this House or behave in an inferior way. I will not defend myself. I tender my sincere apology for my utterance during the proceedings of the House if it has hurt people from any part of the country.”
Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, who had laughed at Kumar’s remark on Thursday, also apologised to the members and asked them not to take the issue further.
