New Delhi, Jan. 7 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday termed Asaram Bapu's remark that the 23-year-old brave heart ought to have begged the accused to spare her, as extremely regrettable, and demanded that the self proclaimed godman should reflect, introspect and withdraw his statement.
BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said Asaram Bapu's statement is regrettable and deeply disturbing and painful.
"He is a religious guru, the country looks up towards him. And, I am sure he knows that in the 'Hindu Chintan' women of the country have been accorded a very pride of place and dignity. Similarly, in our Constitution also, there is a clear provision of granting the status of equality to our women and no discrimination. In this light, for him to make the statement in relation to a crime, which has shocked the conscious of the country, is not only unfortunate, but deeply regrettable that a courageous daughter of India ought to have begged the accused to spare her," said Prasad.
"Sorry, it is not acceptable. We would expect Sri Asaram Bapuji to kindly reflect, introspect and withdraw the statement, which I think he needs to do," he added.
Asaram Bapu has landed himself in a controversy over his remark that the December 16 Delhi gang rape victim is as guilty as those responsible for the barbaric sexual assault on her.
"Only 5-6 people are not the culprits. The victim daughter is as guilty as her rapists... She should have called the culprits brothers and begged before them to stop... This could have saved her dignity and life. Can one hand clap? I don't think so," said Asaram Bapu.
The self-proclaimed godman further said that he is against harsher punishments for the accused as the law could be misutilised.
"We have often seen such laws are made to be misutilised... Dowry harassment law is the biggest example," he said.
The spiritual guru's remark comes at a time when the entire nation is mourning the death of the 23-year-old brave heart who died in a Singapore hospital 13 days later after the heinous crime.
The victim, a physiotherapy student, was brutally raped and assaulted in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012. She died of her injuries on December 29, 2012 in the multi-specialty Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.
Her male friend, who was accompanying her that day, was also assaulted by the accused and both of them were thrown out of the bus. (ANI)
