Teesta Setalvad, Brinda Karat criticize TMC MLA for 'rape' comment

Activist Teesta Setalvad and CPI (M) politburo member Brinda Karat today came down heavily on Trinamool Congress MLA Deepak Haldar's controversial comments on rape. Speaking to ANI, Setalvad said, "If such statements come from political leaders, then their party's leader, who is also an influential woman, must also oppose it. Such statements encourage rapists and abusers. The political culture in the country needs to change."

Setalvad comments comes after Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Deepak Haldar stirred a controversy with his unwarranted comments on the incidents of rape. "There was rape earlier, there is rape today. As long as the earth exists, there will be rape," Haldar had said on Wednesday.

CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat also condemned the statements saying that Haldar doesn't deserve to be in the Vidhan Sabha. "I strongly condemn the statement. This is the language of TMC leaders. This man doesn't deserve to be in Vidhan Sabha. This state has become the most unsafe place for women. This is highly condemnable and objectionable," she said.

Former NCW chief Mamata Sharma also panned Haldar's statements saying, "It is very saddening. They have a woman Chief Minister and still they are talking like this. They should be taken away from the assembly." Haldar was quick to spell out his stand against rape and asked the media not to distort what he meant to say.

He said that rape was a social malice, which cannot be solved by the Chief Minister alone and thus called for a concerted effort from all to tackle this menace. TMC MP Tapas Pal had earlier created a controversy over a similar nature that had led to a nationwide furore.