Two security guards at a Bengaluru tennis club have been arrested for the alleged gang-rape of a woman
His predecessor questioned how a sexual assault by two could be called gang-rape. Now Karnataka's new home minister, commenting on a gang-rape by security guards at a tennis club in Bengaluru, appears to blame the woman.
"This is unfortunate. A woman from Tumkur was near the tennis club at 9.30pm. I am told she wanted to learn tennis. At that time, why was she waiting near the tennis club to learn tennis is the question. We are investigating and checking everything," minister G Parameshwara commented on Thursday.
The 34-year-old woman was attacked by two guards at the club near Bengaluru's well-known Cubbon Park on Wednesday night. She had gone to the club asking for membership and had reportedly been asked to come back the next day.
The guards allegedly spotted her at the club's parking lot and offered to escort her out. They allegedly took her to a deserted stretch and assaulted her.
The minister today said: "I didn't make that statement...I said the incident happened at 9.30 in the evening and police were quick enough to arrest those two persons. That's all I said...the media twisted my statement."
Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said Mr Parameshwara should resign.
"I believe this is not the first time he's made such statements. Not only is it insensitive, it doesn't send the right message. If he is not interested in his work... he should step down," Mrs Gandhi said.
Mr Parameshwara, who is also the state Congress chief, is the latest Karnataka politician caught making ill-advised comments in recent months.
Last month, when a 22-year-old call centre employee was gang-raped by two men, then home minister KJ George had said: "How is it a gang rape if two people rape? Shouldn't there be at least three or four people for it to be called gang rape?"
Days later, he was replaced by Mr Parameshwara.