New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) From calling it "unfortunate" to "objectionable", political parties Sunday reacted strongly to Delhi Police Commissioner B.K. Gupta's suggestion to women not to venture out alone too late at night.

Gupta, at a function Saturday, said: "You can't go out at 2 in the night and then say that you were a victim of crime." He said that women should be accompanied by a relative or friend when travelling at night.

"It is really objectionable, the Delhi police commissioner should understand more about women work before making such comments," Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat told IANS.

"Whether it is 2 a.m. in the morning or 2 p.m. in the day, his job is to keep the city safe for women and the citizens," she said.

Calling the comment unfortunate, BJP leader Vijay Jolly said the statement will only increase sense of insecurity among women in Delhi.

"It is very unfortunate that the police chief has given unsolicited advice to women in city to go out without male companion. What happens to the single women who don't have any male members in the family," Jolly wondered.

"Instead of providing security to the people, they are making such comments. This runs against the responsibility of police and will only increase the insecurity in women," Jolly told IANS.

He also said that the police commissioner echoed Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who had made similar comments earlier.

In 2008, after the murder of journalist Soumya Viswanathan, Dikshit had said that women should not be "so adventurous" as to venture out late at night.