India's top police official is under fire for saying, "If you can't prevent rape, you might as well enjoy it."
In spite of making some excellent progress on the issue of rape, Indian misogynists still have a very long way to go. Please pray that this embarrassment will help shorten that distance.
Central Bureau of Investigation chief Ranjit Sinha made the comment Tuesday during a news conference about legalizing gambling.
Sinha said that if the state could not stop gambling it could at least make some revenue by legalizing it. His remarks about rape were in this context.
The remarks have caused outrage across India which in the past year has been roiled by widespread protests after the fatal gang rape of a young medical student on a bus in New Delhi.
See: http://northwoodsministries.blogspot.com/2012/12/rape-and-murder-on-bus.html
Sinha said Wednesday that his comments had been taken out of context, but angry activists have called for his resignation.
He tried to explain later that he "just used a proverb to make a point," but his use of the word 'proverb' for the distasteful comment did nothing to stop the deluge of outrage on social forums.
Mr Sinha is facing calls to apologise publicly or step down.
"The CBI director has rendered himself unfit to hold this office. Such an irresponsible and insensitive comment is simply inexcusable," tweeted Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw.
BJP's Smriti Irani called the comment 'absolutely disgusting", while CPI-M leader Brinda Karat said the CBI director should be prosecuted. "If the CBI director can trivialize rape, it gives a very wrong message. He has no right to continue in office," Ms Karat said.
The CBI chief's epic blunder has inflamed the social media at a time the nation's rape debate - triggered by the horrific gang-rape of a medical student in a moving bus in Delhi last December - has been dominated by calls for sweeping changes not just in laws but in mindsets.
"Unbelievable!" tweeted noted Bangladesh writer Taslima Nasreen.
"After CBI boss Ranjit Sinha's advice on enjoying rape when it's inevitable, one wonders if we're better off with the parrot caged and gagged," tweeted Abhijit Majumder.
In spite of making some excellent progress on the issue of rape, Indian misogynists still have a very long way to go. Please pray that this embarrassment will help shorten that distance.
Central Bureau of Investigation chief Ranjit Sinha made the comment Tuesday during a news conference about legalizing gambling.
Sinha said that if the state could not stop gambling it could at least make some revenue by legalizing it. His remarks about rape were in this context.
The remarks have caused outrage across India which in the past year has been roiled by widespread protests after the fatal gang rape of a young medical student on a bus in New Delhi.
See: http://northwoodsministries.blogspot.com/2012/12/rape-and-murder-on-bus.html
He tried to explain later that he "just used a proverb to make a point," but his use of the word 'proverb' for the distasteful comment did nothing to stop the deluge of outrage on social forums.
Mr Sinha is facing calls to apologise publicly or step down.
"The CBI director has rendered himself unfit to hold this office. Such an irresponsible and insensitive comment is simply inexcusable," tweeted Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw.
BJP's Smriti Irani called the comment 'absolutely disgusting", while CPI-M leader Brinda Karat said the CBI director should be prosecuted. "If the CBI director can trivialize rape, it gives a very wrong message. He has no right to continue in office," Ms Karat said.
The CBI chief's epic blunder has inflamed the social media at a time the nation's rape debate - triggered by the horrific gang-rape of a medical student in a moving bus in Delhi last December - has been dominated by calls for sweeping changes not just in laws but in mindsets.
"Unbelievable!" tweeted noted Bangladesh writer Taslima Nasreen.
"After CBI boss Ranjit Sinha's advice on enjoying rape when it's inevitable, one wonders if we're better off with the parrot caged and gagged," tweeted Abhijit Majumder.
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