The Resurfaced Controversy: Karnataka MLA’s Insensitive Rape Analogy in the Assembly
In December 2021, during a session of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, senior Congress leader and former Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar sparked widespread outrage with a deeply insensitive remark. While discussing the chaos in the House and the current Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri’s frustration over uncontrolled proceedings, Kumar interjected: “There is a saying that when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That is exactly the position you are in.”
The comment, intended as an analogy for accepting an uncontrollable situation, was met with laughter from the Speaker and several lawmakers, amplifying the shock. The phrase trivialized sexual violence, reducing a grave crime to a casual proverb, and highlighted a disturbing lack of sensitivity in a forum meant to uphold public decorum and lawmaking.
