Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Under Fire For Controversial Remarks On Rape

Newly appointed Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Taneti Vanitha has courted controversy for her comments on recent incidents of rape in the state. She said the May 1 gang rape of a 25-year-old pregnant woman at Repalle railway station had not been intended but happened in unexpected circumstances. Earlier, she had said a mother is responsible for a child's safety in the context of a sexual assault on a minor in Vizag.

She has blamed "psychological situation" and poverty for incidents of rape and even claimed the accused didn't intend to rape. It happened in an "unexpected manner" as the men were drunk and had attacked with the intention to rob the husband of the survivor, but she had intervened and then the rape happened 'unexpectedly', 'these things happen', she had said.

Controversial comments of #AndhraPradesh home minister #TanetiVanitha on gang-rape at #RepalleRailwayStation, says there are 'psychological reasons, poverty, accused had not intended to rape, they were drunk & wanted to rob but it had happened unexpectedly' @ndtvindia @ndtv pic.twitter.com/9anffeUlUx

— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) May 5, 2022

"The woman tried to stop the attack on the husband, then some things happened in an unexpected manner," she said, adding that adequate railway police force not being available could not be blamed. She said more CCTV cameras would be installed at railway stations.

The opposition Telugu Desam Party has slammed the Home Minister, calling her statements irresponsible.

There have been two incidents of rapes at Andhra Pradesh railway stations in two weeks.

A woman from Maharashtra was raped at the Gurazala railway station on April 16, two accused were arrested.