- Wednesday, June 11, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE home minister of the southern Indian state of Karnataka has courted a controversy in relation to the recent case of gangrape in the city of Mysuru (formerly Mysore) by accusing the opposition of trying to “rape” him by targeting him.
Araga Jnanendra of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who took over the portfolio on August 4, slammed the opposition Indian National Congress saying it was trying to gain political mileage by targeting him. He used the word “rape” to accuse the opposition party, which in turn reacted strongly saying neither the home minister nor the BJP was capable of protecting the people of Karnataka.
Jnanendra also faced flak for remarking that the victim and her male friend, who was also thrashed in the horrific incident that took place on Tuesday (24), should not have gone to the deserted place where they were targeted.
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With the issue snowballing into a major controversy, state chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, who took over from BS Yediyurappa last month and was the home minister before Jnanendra, disapproved of his remarks and facing pressure, Jnanendra withdrew the statement saying he did not intend to hurt anybody. “I just don’t agree with the comments made by my home minister regarding the gang-rape incident. I have advised him to give clarification,” Bommai said.
Bommai, who was on a two-day visit to national capital New Delhi, told the media that the state government will set up a special team to probe the case and vowed that the criminals will be brought to justice soon.
“Once the DGP (Director General of Police) and I reach Bengaluru, we will immediately form a special team,” the chief minister said.
On Tuesday, a student in her early 20s was allegedly raped by a number of men near Chamundi Hills in Mysuru late in the night and the incident came to light the next day. The injured woman and her friend were undergoing treatment in a private hospital.
“Around 7-7:30 pm (on Tuesday) they (the victim and male friend) had gone there. It is a deserted place, they should not have gone.. but we can’t stop anyone from going, they have gone. It is a deserted place and no one usually goes there as no one will be there,” Jnanendra said in response to a question.
He added that there are concerns about lack of police patrolling in such places and that he was going to the city, located around 89 miles from state capital Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), and hold discussions with the officials to improve the security arrangements.
He then slammed the Congress over its criticism of the law and order situation in the state following the incident. Jnanendra said, “Rape has happened there (in Mysuru), but the Congress was trying to rape me.. they are trying to rape the Home Minister. They are trying to gain political mileage. It is an inhuman act.”
“When such incidents happen, instead of exerting pressure to see it from a humanitarian perspective and detect (the culprits), attempts are on to derive political mileage in such a situation. People will see it. I will not say much on this. Instructions have been given on what has to be done by the police so that such things don’t recur and we are at it.” he said.
Karnataka state Congress president DK Shivakumar lashed out at the home minister saying, “He (home minister) has claimed that Congress was raping him. He is using the word rape very lightly…it seems he likes that word. I seek the response of BJP leaders on this statement. When the home minister is saying that Congress is raping him, what is the administration of the state doing?”
The Congress party also blasted Jnanendra over his remark that the victim should not have gone to a deserted place, saying, “Home minister you have the onus of protecting the state. Are you not ashamed of making such a shabby remark?”
“With this statement he (Home Minister) has agreed that it is dangerous to venture out even at 7:30 pm under a BJP rule,” it said.
Shivakumar also said that that it is a shame on the state’s police department that no arrest could be made even after two days since the incident took place. He said the Congress was constituting a fact-finding committee to look into the incident under the chairmanship of former parliamentarian V Ugrappa. The party members would visit Mysuru and submit a report and the party will do everything possible to ensure that the victim gets justice, Shivakumar added.
