In a development that embarrassed its alliance partner BJP yet again, the Shiv Sena on Saturday stirred up a hornet’s nest by throwing its weight behind senior IPS officer Sunil Paraskar, accused of rape by a model, and saying that it had become a “fashion” to charge men with molestation and rape.
less than a month after it landed the NDA Government in a quandary over the incident of its MP force-feeding a fasting Muslim IRCTC employee at the New Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi, the Shiv Sena once again put the BJP in a difficult situation by going out of the way to support the senior IPS officer facing allegations of molestation and rape made by a model.
“People have begun to think whether creating sensation through allegations of molestation and rape as now become a fashion… A model has created a sensation in the media by making allegations of molestation and rape against DIG Sunil Paraskar. Because of the model’s allegation against him, Paraskar has overnight become a villain. Such accusations have become good weapons for some women to indulge in character assassination, all to seek personal revenge,” the Sena stated in its mouthpiece Saamana.
“Allegations of rape have become a major weapon used by those in high positions against their rivals. What exactly is the truth in Paraskar’s caseIJ Till the truth comes out, he should not be subjected to media trial as it is being done now,” the Sena mouthpiece stated in its editorial.
The 57-year-old DIG, who had moved the city sessions court after he was booked under Sections 376(2) (rape by a police officer), 376(C) (intercourse by superintendent of jail, etc) and 354(D) (stalking), following a complaint by the Mumbai-based model, has been granted an interim protection by the court from arrest till August 5.
The Saamana editorial went on to state: “The police should handle this case with restraint. Molestation and rape are undoubtedly inhuman. But such instances where women make false allegations against men by exploiting their femininity put the very entire women clan in the dock. let’s face, there is system of justice to unravel truth and untruth in the allegations”.
Questioning the motive behind the model making allegation of molestation and rape against the senior IPS officer, the Sena mouthpiece stated: “What is the background of the model and how did the rape happenIJ That is especially when both (the police officer and model in question) had harmonious relations for so many daysIJ Even the ordinary people ask this question. But, police do not seem to think so. In this case, the complaint was lodged six months after the alleged rape.”
“Did it take six months for her to understand she was rapedIJ It must be noted that the victim in the Shakti Mills case lodged her rape complaint within two hours of the incident,” the Saamana editorial stated.
“Rape is such a nauseating and horrifying crime that any woman can’t accept the taint for a moment, but these days rape cases get lodged after six months and two years, and nobody raises any question. The law and the society should undoubtedly sympathise and support such “victims”, but what is the truth, what is the other side of the coin should also be checked,” the Sena mouthpiece opined.
The Saamana editorial cited several instances of the past where allegations of rape made against powers-that-be prove to be incorrect at a later stage. “Arun Borude, a brave officer of the Mumbai Police faced similar allegations. He committed suicide and later in investigations it was found that he was innocent. This is a recent instance.
Police should not be “party to such sensational cases… One young woman in Uttar Pradesh had in the past alleged that Rahul Gandhi had raped her. Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker and Congress leader from Kerala PJ Kurien had also faced allegations, and he was acquitted later.” the editorial stated.Making no bones about its displeasure over the manner in which its alliance partner in the State and at the Centre Shiv Sena had chosen to a senior IPS officer accused of rape, the BJP condemned the Saamana editorial.
“It takes a woman a lot of guts to register a complaint, especially if she has been molested or raped, and to suggest that she does it as a fashion statement is ridiculous. It calls for a change of mindset. It is clearly something that I condemn,” BJP spokesperson Shaina NC said. The Congress also hit out at the Saamana editorial, dubbing it as “very shameful” and “disrespectful of women”.
“A very shameful comment has been published in Saamna, and the way the Shiv Sena has said that it has become a fashion to accuse men of rape, I feel nothing could be more against the dignity of a woman. It’is very wrong to give such a statement, and Saamna should urgently apologise for it. Uddhav Thackeray should speak up, and if he doesn’t, then this means he doesn’t respect women,” senior Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi said.
Congress leader Manish Tewari said the allegation has to be investigated. “In such matters, it is important that the due course of law is followed,” Tewari said.Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Atul Anjan said the Shiv Sena could say and do anything, and described it as a party of ignorant people.