'Fact, not opinion', Haryana CM stands by his 'rape remark' despite backlash

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday stood by his statement that in majority rape cases victim and culprit are acquittances. Reacting on the backlash from the opposition on the remark, the CM said: "I did not talk about consent, I was talking about (relations) between known. This is not a statement from my side, it is a fact from investigations. This (statement) should be seen in social context and not political."

At a function in Kalka town of Panchkula district on Friday, Khattar said, "The incidents of rape have not increased... Rapes used to take place in the past and even today as well. (Only) the concern (over such incidents) has increased.

"The biggest concern is that in 80 to 90 per cent of rape and eve-teasing cases, the accused and the victim know each other. In many cases, they know each other for a long time and, on one day, when there is an argument (between them over some issue)... an FIR is lodged, saying: 'He has raped me'," Khattar had said.

The remark came under fire as Congress condemned the statement, saying the state government's "anti-women mindset" was exposed. Hitting out at the chief minister, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala termed the statement deplorable.

"Anti-Women Mindset of Khattar Govt Exposed! Haryana CM Khattar ji makes an utterly condemnable remark. Blaming Women for complete failures to control Rapes & Gangrapes? Deplorable!," Surjewala tweeted.