Women are equally guilty for rape: Abu Azmi

After Mulayam Singh Yadav, it was the turn of yet another Samajwadi to dish out insensitive remarks about rape.

A day after Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam defended rapists when he questioned the need for a death penalty in such cases, his party’s Maharashtra unit chief Abu Azmi has gone on record stating that women are equally guilty for rape.

"Rape is punishable by hanging in Islam. But here, nothing happens to women, only to men. Even the woman is guilty," Azmi said during an interview with Mumbai newspaper Mid-Day.

"Solution is this: any woman if, whether married or unmarried, goes along with a man, with or without her consent, should be hanged. Both should be hanged. It shouldn't be allowed even if a woman goes by consent."

He further added, "In India, if you have sex with a person with consent, it's fine. But if that same person complains, it's a problem. Nowadays, we see a lot of such cases. Girls complain when someone touches them, and even when someone doesn't touch them. It becomes a problem then, and the man's honour is ruined in this. If rape happens with or without consent, it should be punished as prescribed in Islam."

Azmi has made controversial statements in the past. While the nation was condemning the December 16, 2012 gang rape, Azmi had triggered protests when he said, "Women should not venture out with men who are not relatives. What is the need for roaming at night with men who are not relatives? This should be stopped. Such incidents (like the Delhi gang rape) happen due to influence of western culture. Scantily-clad women attract male attention. Rape cases are on the rise due to "women wearing less clothes."

Click on NEXT to read what his boss said on Thursday...

In highly controversial remarks, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday said there was a need to change the anti-rape laws as "boys commit mistakes" for which they should not be hanged. 

"Ladke, ladke hain. Galti ho jati hai (Boys are boys. They commit mistakes)," he said at an election rally in Moradabad.

Is rape a 'mistake'? BOO Mulayam Singh

Citing the recent example of a court sentencing three men found guilty of gang-raping two women in the abandoned Shakti Mills in Mumbai last year, he said there was a need to change the new rape law which provides for death sentence to repeat rape offenders.

"Efforts will be made to change such a law, so that those misusing it are punished. Those filing false reports will also be taken to task," he said.

Yadav said boys and girls fall in love but due to differences they fall apart later on. "When their friendship ends, the girl complains she has been raped," he said, stressing the need for changes in the anti-rape law.

Click on MORE to read how politicians have been making insensitive remarks in the past about rape