A Bihar Minister now has created furour with his statement blaming smartphones and non-vegetarian food for increasing rape incidents in the country. Though, some of the MlAs across party lines have supported his views but the women legislators have condemned the statement and demanded action against the MlA.

“I believe that youths use mobile phones to watch blue films. Youths do not surf internet to educate themselves but to watch pornography which encourages them to commit rape and molestation,” said Bihar Minister for Art, Culture and Youth Affairs Vinay Bihari. Bihari is an Independent MlA from lauriya in West Champaran district.

The MlA further targeted non-vegetarian food as another reason for instigating rape tendencies among youths.“The people who eat more non-vegetarian food like fish and chicken are more inclined towards the act of molestation and rape,” said the Minister.He also said that he was against use of mobile phones in schools. “I’m totally against use of mobile phones in schools and I’m saying this on the basis of my own experience that the students only misuse the device,” he said.

“Earlier, I caught two students watching blue film on their mobile phone during a visit to a school,” he told mediapersons on Bihar Assembly premises.

The Bihar Minister, who was inducted into the Ministry recently, also said that anyone could pay a surprise visit to any school and costly mobile phone in the hands of students in the higher classes could be found “which they use for exchanging only dirty SMSes”.He also targeted non-vegetarian food for enhancing rape tendencies among youths. “Non-vegetarian food contributes to hot temper and incites people for molestation and rape. We should remember the sermons of saints that pure vegetarian food keep the body and mind pure and healthy,” he said.

The Minister further added that he would give suggestion to Education department on this and would also make surprise inspections in schools to ensure that mobile phones are not carried by students.When informed that there are both advantages and disadvantages of keeping a mobile phone for the students, Vinay Bihari, who is also a Bhojpuri actor and singer said, “It is

like issuing license for a revolver to individuals for self-defense but they misuse for criminal purposes”.On being asked his stand on whether it is good for MlAs to carry mobile phones inside the Assembly, the Minister promptly replied an emphatic “No”.His statement, though, has created furor in the political circle as some of the male legislators have supported him but the woman MlAs have denounced it and demanded action against the Minister.

“The process of love has got a boost due to the availability of mobile phones. Rapes have also increased due to mobile phones in the hands of young girls. Sometimes wrong numbers dialed by mistake bring about relationships between boys and girls and pose problems,” said Sarfaraz Alam, the ruling JD(U) MlA from Jokihat while supporting the Minister’s statements.

The BJP MlA from Raghunathpur in Siwan, Vikram Kunwar too said that mobile phones is the main reason behind so many incidents of rapes.“Such incidents were fewer before mobiles came. Guardians of young people have been careless in giving them mobile phones and not monitoring them,” said Vikram Kunwar.

But, the women legislators have denounced the Minister’s statement saying action must be taken against him for making such remarks.

“It is only boys who are responsible for rapes and do such kind of acts with the girls who impress them. The girls who reside away from their homes for education or job purposes often get lured by boys into such acts,” reacted Neeta Chaudhary, JD(U) legislator from Tarapur Assembly constituency.

Similarly, BJP MlA from Paliganj, Usha Vidyarthi said that the Minister’s remark is non-sensical. “Rape does not take place due to mobile phones or eating non-vegetarian food rather it is a perverse and sick mentality that drives people to do such heinous act,” she said while demanding action against the Minister for his unwarranted remarks.

“The Minister should be sacked from the Cabinet and punished for issuing such remarks”, said another women MlA.Meanwhile, Bihari has apologised to all those legislators who have taken offence of his statement but he also affirmed that whatever he has said is on the basis of his experience.

“Main mafi mangta hun un logon se jinhe mera statement thik nahi laga…lekin yeh main apne personal experience ke aadhar par kaha hun,” said Vinay Bihari.Vinay Bihari is a famous Bhojpuri film actor who has not only written over 1,000 songs in Bhojpuri movies but has also sung over 300 songs.Earlier, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had hogged the limelight by issuing similar statement about rape that “boys make mistakes, but they cannot be hanged for that”.