K'taka HM finding excuses to cover failure: Women activists

Condemning Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara's remark on mass molestation in Bengaluru that "such incident do happen on New Year day and Christmas", women activist Ranjana Kumari on Tuesday said instead of assuring that never such incident should take place, the former is finding excuses and shielding himself by posing the curtain of the western culture.

Kumari told ANI in Delhi that it is disgraceful that the minister who is supposed to take care of the law and order, safety and security is making an excuse of the western culture and is also blaming the dress up of women.

"He has failed in delivering the administration on the eve when he knew so many people will be there. His police didn't act and instead of punishing the police and of suspending them who were there for not acting...instead of really assuring the women of Karnataka which is a progressive state and instead of assuring that never ever such thing will happen... there he is finding excuses and covering his face by posing the curtain of the western culture. This is totally unacceptable," she added.

Expressing similar sentiments, another women activist Saswati Ghosh from Kolkata told ANI that it was very horrifying that these things are coming from a state which the nation considers as 'civilized'.

"Reports say that the police deployment was not sufficient, which is really shocking. When they know that Christmas Eve will lead to various types of hooliganism..that is quite shocking that police was not vigilant to the extent they should have been. Now, when there is enough photographic evidence the police should take serous cognizance to the fact," she said.

Reacting to the incidents of molestation in M.G. Road and Brigade Road during the New Year Eve celebrations, Parameshwara said there were enough police force deployed in Bengaluru to ensure safety of women and "such incident do happen on New Year day and Christmas".

"We had deployed 1,500 police personnel in the area for New Year's celebrations. Such incidents do happen on New Year day and on Christmas. We take a lot of precautions," Parmeshwara told ANI.

The incident of mass molestation reportedly occurred on December 31 midnight at Bengaluru's M.G. Road and Brigade Road.

A group of drunk hooligans gathered at the spot to celebrate New Year's eve.

Upon spotting young girls out for celebration, the hooligans began passing lewd remarks against them.