BJP's Surendra Singh has been known for making sexist remarks in the past.
Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Surendra Singh's remark that "rape cases can be stopped only with sanskar (culture), and not governance" has provoked sharp criticism on social media.
The BJP leader, known for his controversial comments, was replying to a question on Saturday on the surge in crimes against women amid massive outrage against the alleged gang rape and torture of a 20-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, who died in Delhi last week. While talking to a reporter, he seemed to be shifting the blame on women.
"I am a teacher along with being an MLA. Such incidents (like rape) can be stopped only with sanskar (culture), not with shasan (good governance) or talwar (referring to sword or might)," the UP BJP MLA from Ballia said.
Actor Kriti Sanon lashed out at the BJP leader as she asked "why don't they give some sanskars to their sons". "Teach daughters how to not get raped??? Can he hear himself talk? THIS is the MINDSET that needs to change! Its so messed up! Why can't they give some sanskaar to their sons???" she tweeted.
Actor-activist Swara Bhasker shared an old video by him, where he is heard making disparaging comments on the Unnao rape case in 2018. "This petty man is an old sinner," she tweeted in Hindi.
Yesterday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also responded to the remarks. "This is the filthy RSS male chauvinist mentality at work. Men do the raping but women need to be taught good values," he said, commenting on the BJP leader Surendra Singh's remark on Twitter. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS is the ideological mentor of the BJP which governs UP and at the centre.
The BJP MLA, however, today shot back at the ex-Congress chief, saying: "Rahul is a person of dual character and foreign mentality. He is totally ignorant about Indian culture. He will understand the definition of nationalism if he takes tuition from nationalists. He could not understand the crux of the country's culture."