Kirron Kher slams Oppn. for politicising her Chandigarh gang-rape remark

Chandigarh [India], Nov 30 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kirron Kher on Thursday cried foul over the controversy her Chandigarh gang-rape statement has sparked and asked the Opposition to not politicise it.

The BJP MP has been facing flak from various quarters after she quipped that the Chandigarh gang-rape victim could have averted the incident by using her 'common sense'.

Kher was alluding to an incident where a 21-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three men while returning home in an auto-rickshaw on November 17.

Speaking to ANI, the parliamentarian said the Opposition was trying to give it a political colour, which was unfortunate.

"It is very unfortunate that in our country, every statement is politicised. I am a woman and a mother and I have always spoken up for women's rights whether it is in the Parliament or outside. I think to give this a political colour is very unfortunate. It is in extreme poor taste to politicise these things. I am only looking to the security of the girls of the city," she said.

She further requested the political parties to not politicise issues like rape, women security as they were sensitive issues.

The BJP MP further asked all the women to protect themselves and take certain precautions to avert such incidents.

"I would like to tell all the women that the Chandigarh Police provides you with the facility that if you are in a place where you are unable to find a public transport then you can dial 100. The police will then send a PCR to pick you up and drop you to your residence. So I think you should avail this facility. We also have smartphones with which we can click a picture of the number plate of the autorickshaws or of the drivers. We have to learn how to look after ourselves. I am saying this things as a mother, not as a politician," she added.

Speaking at a press conference here, Kher on Wednesday said the woman was allegedly gang-raped by an autodriver and his two accomplices should have applied common sense and not boarded the vehicle as three men were already sitting inside it.

"Bachchi ki samajhdaari ko bhi main thoda sa kehna chahti hun. saari bachiyon ko.. ki already jab koi teen aadmi baithe hue hain uske andar. to aapko usme bethna nahi chahiye tha..I am saying this to protect the girls...," Kher said. (ANI)