Karnataka Congress MLA KR Ramesh Kumar’s ‘enjoy rape’ comment is not his first: A look at his controversial statements

First there was Samajwadi Party’s Mulayam Singh Yadav’s ‘Boys will be boys, they make mistakes… Will you hang them for rape?’ shocker and now there is Karnataka Congress leader K R Ramesh Kumar’s howler of a comment: ‘There’s a saying… when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it.’ The Congress Karnataka MLA has come under fire for his controversial comment. But one thing is sure that our politicians have a knack for making sexist comments and their understanding of rape is nothing but unfortunate. What is even more shocking is that Thursday’s comment made by Congress leader K R Ramesh Kumar isn’t his first gaffe and he has a penchant for making such comments. Here’s a look. ‘When rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it’ On Thursday, former assembly speaker and Congress MLA KR Ramesh Kumar while speaking in the ongoing state Assembly session in Belagavi said to the Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, “There’s a saying… when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That’s exactly the position into which you are.” The Congress leader made the comment as MLAs demanded time from the Speaker to discuss farmers’ issues in the Assembly. Kageri asked how he could run the House if every member was to be given time. By then, over 25 members had already spoken on the issue. Exasperated, the Speaker asked the members to decide on their own. Looking at Ramesh Kumar, Kageri said in a lighter vein, “I have to enjoy the situation and say ‘yes, yes’. I should give up trying to control the situation and conduct the proceedings in a systematic manner.”

#WATCH| "...There's a saying: When rape is inevitable, lie down&enjoy," ex Karnataka Assembly Speaker & Congress MLA Ramesh Kumar said when Speaker Kageri, in response to MLAs request for extending question hour, said he couldn't& legislators should 'enjoy the situation' (16.12) pic.twitter.com/hD1kRlUk0T

— ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2021

Instead of opposing the offensive remark, the Speaker and members were heard breaking out into laughter. Hours after his highly reprehensible remark spared outrage and furore, he apologised for the “indifferent and negligent” comment.

I would like to express my sincere apologies to everyone for the indifferent and negligent comment I made in today’s assembly about “Rape!” My intention was not trivialise or make light of the heinous crime, but an off the cuff remark! I will choose my words carefully henceforth!

— K. R. Ramesh Kumar (@KRRameshKumar1) December 16, 2021

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‘Rape victim’ comment In February of 2019, then the Karnataka Assembly speaker, KR Ramesh Kumar compared himself to a rape survivor having to undergo repeated questioning as he referred to repeated charges against him being part of the controversial audio tapes, over which the government had constituted an SIT. The Speaker, pointing to repeated reference to charges against him, said his “situation was like that of a rape victim, as they too are supposedly questioned about the incident repeatedly.” ‘Corrupt’ Yeddyurappa didn’t know how to avoid getting caught’ In 2014, the Congress MLA was sympathetic towards former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, who was forced to step down in 2011 following corruption charges. He said the BJP leader was “not the only corrupt leader in the State”. But unlike others, Yeddyurappa “did not know how to avoid being caught”, Kumar had said in the Legislative Assembly. “When people eat in five-star hotels, they cover their lap using cotton napkins. They eat in such a way that not even a single grain of rice sticks to their clothes; only their napkin gets soiled. Then they rinse their fingers in the finger bowl, thus no trace of eating is left," Kumar said. “If a person is clever, they will siphon off money, leaving no trace whatsoever. But Yeddyurappa stained his clothes. It’s not wrong to commit a misdeed, but one should know how to avoid getting caught.” With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.