New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS): Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday slammed NCW member Chandramukhi Devi for her remark a day earlier that the gang rape and murderous assault on a woman in Badaun would not have happened if she had not stepped out alone in the evening or if she were accompanied by a child.

"Do you think that women's safety will be ensured after this kind of statement? The NCW member is blaming the victim for the crime. The administration is upset how the post-mortem report got leaked; in Moradabad, a victim is battling for her life. Women will not forgive this kind of treatment," the Congress leader said.

National Commission for Women member Chandramukhi Devi had visited the village of the 50-year-old gang-rape victim in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, and stirred a hornet's nest by saying that the crime would not have happened had the woman not stepped out alone in the evening.

"This is a crime that has shamed humanity, but I would also like to say that women should not step out alone at odd hours. I feel that had the woman not stepped out in the evening, or one of her children had accompanied her, the incident would not have happened," the NCW member allegedly said.

NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma said: "I don't know how and why the member has said this but women have the right to move on their own free will, whenever and wherever they want to."

The victim had gone to a temple on Sunday evening and was gang-raped and brutally assaulted by the temple priest and his accomplices. She was dropped outside her home in a critically injured condition by two men on Sunday night. She later succumbed to her grievous injuries.