Reports about a gang rape case that took place in the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh (UP) state in India have left the entire country in horror as a 19-year-old woman, who is said to have been assaulted by four men, succumbed to her injuries.
Weighing in on an increasing number of gang rape cases in India, Markandey Katju, a former Supreme Court judge, said that the rising unemployment is to blame for the uptick in violence.
While reiterating that he condemns rape, the 74-year-old also added, “Sex is a natural urge in men, it is sometimes said that after food, the next requirement is sex”.
— Markandey Katju (@mkatju) September 30, 2020
The statement, which has been branded "distasteful", has stirred controversy on social media, with Indians chiding Katju with sharp responses.
As quoted by Markandey Katju, "sex is a natural urge in men"
— tanu🌙🌌 (@tanumita_) September 30, 2020
No sir, sex is a natural urge in all human beings irrespective of the gender. I don't know why the fuck men think that women or other genders are not horny as they are.
tw // Rape
— Apekshaᴮᴱ⁷🌹 (@prodminmeowgi) September 30, 2020
Markandey Katju, former supreme court judge of india really just said unemployment causes an increase in rape cases in India. Hence indicating it is "bound" to happen.
So you're telling me a young girl/woman is bound to be raped because of urges of an unemployed man? pic.twitter.com/gAbEEOEPvO
he is literally justifying rape open ur eyes, no condition should be an excuse for rape, whether its a man's sick mentality or unemployment
— ᴮᴱ𝘔𝘢𝘩𝘪𝘪 ₇ ᴰ⁻² ♥semi-ia 📕 (@filteragustd) September 30, 2020
And WTF has has unemployment got to do with sex? WTH has rape to do with sex? It is about power and control, and caste is always a factor. The root cause is Indian patriarchy. Try addressing that.
— Advaid അദ്വൈത് (@Advaidism) September 30, 2020
Ahhh leave it.
Sir, how employment can stop rapes? Education plays an important role & I hope we all will agree to this point. But employment has no relevance with mental education or it can't change a person if he is mentally sick.
— Ritesh (@wtfritesh) September 30, 2020
Adding to the row of suspicious developments in the case, the autopsy report issued by Delhi's Safdarjung hospital where the victim breathed her last, noted no sign of an alleged gang rape.
#Breaking
— Rishikesh Kumar (@rishhikesh) October 1, 2020
Autopsy report by Delhi's safdarjung hospital find no sign of alleged gang rape. #HathrasCase pic.twitter.com/8Ngqtfe9zQ
According to various accounts of her statement published in Hindi media outlets, on 14 September, the Hathras victim, who reportedly belonged to the Dalit caste (people from lower strata of country's caste system) was dragged to a farm by her “upper caste” assailants, who also tried to strangle her after the incident.
All four people named by the victim have been arrested and charged under relevant sections of the Indian penal code, including murder and carrying out atrocities against Dalits or people in the lowest strata of the caste system.
The state chief, Yogi Adityanath, announced setting up a special investigative team on Wednesday to find out the truth in the incident and asked it to submit the report in the next seven days.
