Eminent Supreme Court counsel Kamini Jaiswal called it "unfortunate and insensitive".
"What Mulayam Singh has said is both 'unfortunate and insensitive'. It is unfortunate that this was coming from a politician who is aspiring to be the prime minister of the country and his party having a national presence in the country's polity," said Jaiswal.
"There are many who are not in favour of death sentence but it could not be used as a pretext to assail the law that secures the safety and security of women," she said.
Former policewoman and social activist Kiran Bedi said no one should vote for him. "This statement is not just against women, it is against society. He should be punished with no votes," she said.
