NCW lambasts Parameshwara, Abu Azmi for 'disgusting' remarks on Bengaluru incident

National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam on Tuesday condemned the sexist remarks made by Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara and Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi regarding the Bengaluru molestation incident and said that summons have been issued to the duo for their 'disgusting' assertions.

"Politicising any issue leads to issue being covered up and politics becomes more important. It does not matter whether Abu Azmi belongs to one particular party or other party. To be brutally frank, there are men across all parties who make such disgusting statements and they are all to be condemned equally. In this case, it is Abu Azmi and Karnataka Home Minister," said Kumaramangalam.

Expressing disappointment over the police inaction, Kumaramangalam said if the state's Home Minister is himself trying to brush the matter under the carpet then what one can expect from the men in uniform.

"When you have a Home Minister, who makes such irresponsible statements and doesn't want to take any sort of responsibility for it and doesn't even seem to care and is offending millions of women across the country then what do you expect the police to do. They are going to take cover behind the Home Minister and say even the Home Minister has said that nothing is going to happen," she said.

Shocked by the statements made by eminent personalities in politics, Kumaramangalam said she expects them to act in a more responsible manner and make sensible remarks.

"It does not matter to which party he (Abu Azmi) belongs. The point is that a politician should not talk like this.What is happening to this country. Why are we losing respect for our women? How will this country ever develop and take its place as it should? Are our Indian men so weak and so pathetic that if they see a girl, they can maul her?" she asked.

"If you have a man in position and he comes up with such disgusting statements, it is really pitiable. What do they expect? Why don't they say that go back to the 12th century where women were to be tied to the bedroom and kitchen, meant only for bearing child and cooking and serving everybody," she added.

Parmeshwara earlier held the western culture responsible for the incident while Abu Azmi blamed 'short dresses' leading to such incidents, adding "it was bound to happen.