Don’t go seeking ‘publicity’, Azam Khan tells rape victim

In yet another shocker, senior UP minister Azam Khan advised a rape victim not to go looking for “fame and attention” for her “disgrace” or else she will not be able to face the world with dignity.

The minister was in Kanpur on Thursday when a rape victim and her lawyer sought his audience at an event.

When the victim and her lawyer were not allowed to meet the minister, they created a scene which led to a chaos outside.

The minister wanted to know about the incident and later, in his speech, he said that he had been apprised of the matter and would take necessary action.

“I will take her memorandum and go ahead but she sure has gained publicity now. Her complaint is clearly in connection to the disgrace she is facing but if she goes around spreading the incident, how will she face the world ” he said in his speech.

The rape victim later told reporters that she did not expect the minister to react the way he did. “I have been running from pillar to post in search of justice and I thought the minister would help me. But he has only humiliated me further,” she said.

The woman was gangraped by five men in a moving car and her husband was stabbed by the accused. When the victim sought police help, the cops refused to register her complaint even though she named the accused.

A number of NGOs and women’s organisations have condemned the minister’s attitude and statement.

“It is so typical of politicians to treat women with callousness and it is this that prevents rape victims from coming forward and lodging complaints,” said an activist.