Chandigarh, November 18: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday defended his remarks on increasing cases of rape and eve-teasing that drew a lot of flak. Manohar Lal Khattar clarified his stance claiming that what he said is a fact proven by investigation. The chief minister added that the sensitive issue should not be politicised.

“I did not say that it is consensual, all I said was that it happens between known people. This is not something that I have said but is a fact that has come out after investigations. We should deal with this socially and not involve politics in it,” Khattar said. At a function in Kalka town of Panchkula district on Friday, Khattar said mere a verbal spat between known people often leads to rape accusation.

"The biggest concern is that in 80 to 90 per cent of rape and eve-teasing cases, the accused and the victim know each other. In many cases, they know each other for a long time and, on one day, when there is an argument (between them over some issue)... an FIR is lodged, saying: 'He has raped me'," Khattar had said.

"The incidents of rape have not increased... Rapes used to take place in the past and even today as well. (Only) the concern (over such incidents) has increased," he had added. In 2014, Khattar had advised girls to dress 'properly' to protect themselves from rape.

Congress, AAP Hit Out at Khattar:

Hitting out at Khattar, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala termed his statement deplorable. "Anti-Women Mindset of Khattar Govt Exposed! Haryana CM Khattar ji makes an utterly condemnable remark. Blaming Women for complete failures to control Rapes & Gangrapes? Deplorable!," Surjewala tweeted.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal also condemned Khattar's controversial statement. “There is anger among women on Khattar’s statement. Women say that when a chief minister can make such comments against them, how can women be safe in his state,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

Subramanian Swamy Backs Khattar:

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Member of Rajya Sabha Subramanian Swamy, however, backed Khattar, saying that the chief minister was just “explaining the circumstances.” “He was just explaining the circumstances that arise because of the familiarity between a boy and a girl, who are originally friends; but when their relations turn sour, you have those jilted people who throw acid on their former girlfriends," Swamy told ANI.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 18, 2018 03:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).