'You are part of the problem': Netizens react after spiritual leader's 'kapdon ka bhi dosh hota hai' remark on rape goes viral

Spiritual leader Aniruddhacharya, known for his controversial statements, has caused outrage by blaming women's clothing for rape. He said, "kapdo ka bhi dosh hota hai" (the outfit is also to be blamed). This comment comes amid widespread anger over the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

A video of Aniruddhacharya's remarks has gone viral on social media, where he claims that while the male gaze is responsible, women's clothing also plays a role.

Aniruddhacharya questioned, "Kya ham pura dosh nazaron ko dede?," He justified his statement by saying that a woman's short dress can provoke even a well-behaved man. He then described a fictional scenario where he molests another woman and asked, "Who is responsible for this behavior?"

Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh recently downplayed the serious rape and murder case of a doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital by pointing out that such crimes occur in other states as well. He remarked, "Rape kahan nahi hota?" and noted similar incidents in BJP-ruled states.

In 2012, Mamata Banerjee controversially suggested that the rise in rape cases was a result of increased interaction between men and women, citing a gang rape case in Kolkata's Park Street area as an example. She dismissed it as a "shajano ghatana" (fabricated incident) intended to embarrass the government.

She said, "Rape cases are rising because boys and girls interact more freely now. Previously, men and women holding hands would be caught and scolded by their parents, but now everything is so open, like an open market with open options.”

In 2022, Banerjee questioned whether the alleged gang-rape of a 14-year-old in Nadia, West Bengal, was a case of rape or just a love affair.

In 2014, former UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav criticized the new anti-rape law, which included the death penalty for rape. Yadav said, "Rape accused should not be hanged. Men make mistakes."