Farooq Abdullah withdraws controversial remarks on women
Updated
New Delhi, Dec 6 (NDTV): Union minister Farooq Abdullah said today that he regrets stating he is "afraid of talking to women" because he is worried that he could "end up in jail." He claimed that his remarks had been misconstrued and that he has "the greatest respect for women."
His comments were excoriated for being misogynistic and insensitive at a time when the country is grappling with sexual harassment and violence against women.
Earlier today, Mr Abdullah said while entering Parliament, "I am afraid of talking to women. In fact I don't even want to keep a woman secretary, God forbid, if there's a complaint against me and I end up in jail. Such is the state of affairs today. I agree that incidents of rape have increased...but this has to stop somewhere."
He added quickly, " I'm not blaming the girls, I'm blaming society itself."
Among those who demanded an apology was his son, Omar, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, who tweeted, "I'm sure the attempt wasn't to trivialise (the) important issue of women's security so I hope dad apologises for the misplaced attempt at humour."
Activists have been stressing that while discussing and punishing harassment in the workplace is long over-due, employers must not be allowed to use the current discourse as a reason to avoid hiring women.
"When men say they are afraid of hiring or talking to women as Farooq Abdullah did. They are visibly a victim of their own insecurity!" tweeted former IPS officer Kiran Bedi.
"He is saying that there is no difference in speaking to a woman and sexual harassment. He means it is a mistake if she reports a case of sexual harassment," said activist Kavita Krishnan.
In two recent cases, women have come forward to complain about powerful male superiors. Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal has been jailed on rape charges after a young woman reporter said he had sexually assaulted her twice in Goa last month.
A young woman lawyer blogged recently that a retired Supreme Court judge had harassed her in a hotel room a year ago. The supreme Court has identified and indicted Justice AK Ganguly for "unwelcome verbal/non-verbal conduct of sexual nature" in a hotel room in December last year.
Earlier Report
Men are scared to talk to women colleagues nowadays: Farooq Abdullah
New Delhi, Dec 6 (Agencies) : At a time when the nation is faced with a debate on sexual harassment at workplace, National Conference (NC) patron Farooq Abdullah said men are scared to talk to women colleagues nowadays.
“We don't want women as personal secretaries. Men are scared to talk to women, fearing they might end up in jail,” a TV channel quoted Abdullah, the Union minister of new and renewable energy, as saying.
“Rapes are increasing. I don't blame women for it. The society is to be blamed,” Abdullah, the patron of the ruling party in Jammu and Kashmir, added, triggering a row against the backdrop of harassment allegations being levelled against Justice (retired) AK Ganguly and Tehelka founder-editor Tarun Tejpal.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Smriti Irani reacted, saying, “It's a demeaning comment by a senior politician like Farooq Abdullah.” Congress' Ambika Soni defended Abdullah. "He is a broad-minded person. I don't think he said it in a serious manner," she said.