Netizens outraged over Congress' KR Ramesh Kumar's remark about rape in Karnataka Assembly

Former Karnataka Assembly Speaker and senior Congress leader KR Ramesh Kumar sparked controversy after he passed a sexist comment in the state Assembly on Wednesday saying that "when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it,"

The distasteful comment by the Congress leader came when MLAs began to demand time from Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri to discuss farmers' issues in the Assembly. In response to the demand, Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri asked as to how he could run the Session if time was allotted to everyone. Telling members to take the decision on their own, he looked at former speaker KR Ramesh Kumar and said, "I feel that let's enjoy the situation, I can't keep this under control and take it forward in a systematic way."

Replying to the Speaker, the Congress leader stood up and said, "There is a saying, when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it." 

The contentious statement has left netizens in shock over how such an offensive comment was made in a state assembly by an elected member, and how instead of opposing the remark, the Karnataka Assembly Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly were heard breaking out into laughter. 

Several netizens fumed over the Karnataka Congress leader's unpardonable comment and slammed him. Here are some angry tweets: 

Ramesh Kumar repeat offender

It is not the first time that KR Ramesh Kumar has passed such a disdainful comment in the public domain. When he was the speaker of the Karnataka Assembly, Kumar had compared himself to a rape survivor. The Congress leader's comment came after his name emerged in a controversial audio clip between BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa and other senior leaders that mentioned how he had allegedly taken a Rs 50 crore bribe from the party. 

Making an insensitive joke of a rape survivor being raped again and again when cross-examined in the court of law, he had said, "I feel like a rape victim." Later when women legislators protested against the insensitive statement, Kumar tendered an apology. The Karnataka Assembly Session is being conducted at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, Belagavi from December 13 to 24 2021.