Karnataka Home Minister On Harassment Of Women During New Year Celebrations: Such Incidents Do Happen

On 2 January, Karnataka’s home minister G Parmeshwara attempted to downplay the reports of several women getting harassed in Bengaluru during New Year celebrations while the police stood by. As per ANI the minister said-

His comment comes after the Bangalore Mirror reported that unruly mobs started “pawing, molesting and passing lewd remarks” on women who had gathered on the city’s MG Road and Brigade Road for New Year celebrations.

An inspector at the Cubbon Park Police station however said no complaints had been made against such incidents. But the report cited people who stated the police were badly outnumbered by the “drunk hooligans” and could only intervene intermittently.

Neither the Chief Minister, nor anyone from the central Congress High Command has come out and disapproved of the attitude of the minister. What is frighteningly clear though is that Bangalore cannot be made safe when the Home Minister of the state passes off molestation as normal.