BJP, George lock horns over rape issue

The Opposition BJP and Home Minister K J George sparred in the Assembly on Thursday, over the Frazer Town rape incident.

While the BJP alleged that the minister was going slow on police inspector Mohammed Rafique M, by not arresting him, George said the BJP was politicising the issue for publicity. 

George, making a statement on the rape of a post-graduate student in a car, said that the police have already booked a case against Rafique for dereliction of duty. As per the amended law of 2013, the Pulikeshi Nagar police have booked a case against the police inspector under 166 (A) of Indian Penal Code. The clause is regarding action to be taken against officials who commit mistake while handling rape cases. The minimum punishment under this clause is six months of imprisonment and a maximum of two years, he said.

The minister said that two accused, Mohammed Ali and Wasim Khan, have been arrested. Efforts are on to arrest two others. BJP members, led by Jagadish Shettar, demanded that the inspector should be arrested to send a right message to perpetrators of crime. He said that the family members of the victim have been getting threatening calls.  George said that a special squad has been formed to find the root of such threat calls. Suitable protection has been given to the family, he said. 

K G Bopaiah (BJP) argued that the police should have booked cases against the inspector for dereliction of duty under Sections 217, 218 and 222 of the IPC, which attract rigorous punishment. 

“You are trying to make it a bailable offence. Your action should be preventive and reformative. Do not protect culprits,” he said.  

When BJP members continued to demand the resignation of the minister and the arrest of the inspector, the Home minister said, “You are trying to create an impression that after I became minister, rape and crime cases are increasing.
 In your period too, many crime incidents happened. You are trying to make me responsible for every crime incident that takes place.” George’s ministerial colleagues Dinesh Gundu Rao, Krishna Byre Gowda and Ramalinga Reddy supported him.

The Home minister said that it is the job of the police to register a case, conduct inquiry and prepare charge sheet. 

“I have no role to play and also I have no authority. It is police officers who decide the nature of inquiry. If the House empowers me, I will take a decision regarding inquiries,” he said. 

Dissatisfied, the BJP members staged a walkout, saying the minister has failed to give protection to women.

In the Council, Leader of the Opposition K S Eshwarappa attacked George, stating that as the minister is unable to control the police department, he should resign.

Eshwarappa asked: “Why is there a Home minister, if there is no fear of you acting against them (police), when they go wrong?”

CM defends

In the Council, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the government and the Home minister, saying it was the prerogative of the investigating officer (IO) in the case to decide on whether to imprison the erring police officer. 

“It is a cognisable offence. If the IO feels that he needs to be arrested, then let him proceed. The government need not protect anyone on the basis of their caste, creed or political affiliation.”

Earlier, Eshwarappa said that the erring police officer, who tried to allegedly ‘diluted’ the offence committed by the suspects by not applying Section 376 (a) of the IPC, must be immediately arrested.