“I am fully confident that if Delhi government is given full freedom (over security), beautiful women will be able to go out even after midnight without any fear,” Mr Bharti, an AAP lawmaker, said during a discussion in the Delhi assembly on crimes against women and his party’s demand that the control of Delhi Police be transferred from the Centre to the state government.
Roundly attacked for the sexist comment, Mr Bharti today posted a clarification on Facebook that was hardly an improvement.
“I request media friends not to twist my statement: I have said “beautiful women laden with jewelries can travel at midnight fearlessly is the kind of benchmark one can measure security level at Delhi against, if AAP has police control,” he said.
Mr Bharti’s comments have provoked sharp reactions.
“It is absolutely disgusting and derogatory towards women, but it is not surprising coming from someone who defied law even when he was law minister,” said Congress leader Sharmistha Mukherjee.
BJP lawmaker Vijendra Gupta, who is opposition leader in the Delhi Assembly, said: “It is highly objectionable. The remark shows what he thinks about women. He made a comment in the presence of Chief Minister (Arvind Kejriwal) who did not stop him.”
In response, Mr Bharti said on Facebook: “…ppl like Ms. Sharmistha Mukherji can’t even understand the meaning of this statement whose brother had gone to insult the protesting women by calling them dented-painted. Have some shame n don’t politicize just for the sake of politics!!!”
Somnath Bharti’s brief stint as law minister in the previous Arvind Kejriwal government was an embarrassment for AAP. His midnight raid targeting African women at a south Delhi colony badly dented the party’s image. Recently, he was accused by his wife of domestic violence, a charge that he has denied.
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