Indian Lawmaker Stokes Controversy as He Says 'When Rape is Inevitable, Lie Down & Enjoy It'

This is not the first time that Karnataka state lawmaker K.R. Ramesh has landed in hot water for making questionble statements: back in February 2019 he compared himself to a rape victim when his name emerged in a controversial audio clip.

Congress lawmaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar and Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri have sparked controversy with a rape joke: "when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it".

Kumar was comparing Kageri's role in the Karnataka legislative assembly to being forced to have sex. Rather than expressing ire, however, top BJP legislator Kageri responded with a laugh.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is currently ruling in Karnataka state and Kageri is responsible for running the Assembly. The state assembly was scheduled to end at 6 p.m. on Thursday, but Congress lawmakers demanded an extension of time from the Speaker to discuss farmers' issues.

Kageri responded to him by saying: "I am in a situation where I have to enjoy and say 'yes'… I should give up controlling the situation and systematically take the proceedings, I should tell everyone to continue your talks."

To which Kumar said, "There's a saying… when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That's exactly the position in which you are."

'There is a saying, When rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it': You would not believe an ex-Speaker & Congress MLA says this inside the #KarnatakaAssembly and Speaker laughs it off ... No one objects and it is business as usual @ndtv @ndtvindia #OutrageousRapeComment pic.twitter.com/n8oJ8itVDY

— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) December 16, 2021

A video of the exchange has left many people angry:

This quote “When rape is inevitable lie down and enjoy it” by Cong MLA Ramesh Kumar generated loud laughs.

I don’t care how you do it - Karnataka Assembly is covered by CCTVs - but identify and shame each & every MLA, belonging to whichever damn party, who laughed. EACH & EVERY.

— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) December 16, 2021

Has the ‘when rape is inevitable’ MLA been sacked by the @INCIndia ? If not, then the UP ‘ladki’ campaign is meaningless.

— Sanket Upadhyay (@sanket) December 17, 2021

Congress leader KR Ramesh Kumar says in Karnataka Assembly - "when rape in inevitable, lie down and enjoy it". While party's supreme leader is busy educating how Hindus and Hindutvawadis stab knives into chests differently, others are busy making sick rape jokes

— Swati Goel Sharma (@swati_gs) December 16, 2021

"If rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it." MLA K.R. Ramesh Kumar said in the Legislative Assembly today. An elected representative passes such an obnoxious statement & our elected representatives who are supposed to talk of women's empowerment laugh at this statement. pic.twitter.com/Xq2ryX3KO8

— Tanu (@TanuKul) December 16, 2021

‘When rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it’ says Karnataka Congress leader KR Ramesh Kumar in the State assembly. Has a single liberal feminist spoken up? For them, only Hindu traditions like Karva Chauth are misogynistic, but trivializing rape is not.

— Kavita (@Sassy_Hindu) December 17, 2021

SHAMEFUL AND DISGUSTING

Congress Karnataka MLA makes fun of Rape and asks to Enjoy it!!

There is a saying, When rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it'

Shameful by Congress. Hope Neutrals also RT this !!pic.twitter.com/PivSe7o8eZ

— DaaruBaaz Mehta  (@DaaruBaazMehta) December 16, 2021

A Congress MLA in Karnataka says on the floor of the assembly that if rape is inevitable, it is better to lie down and enjoy it.

This happened yesterday. How many people know? How much outrage has there been? As usual, the Lutyens media is busy burying the story.

— Ajit Datta (@ajitdatta) December 17, 2021

Later, BJP politicians condemned the Congress legislator's attempt at humour and demanded his resignation.

Karnataka CONgress MLA makes a shocking statement in the assembly. He says that "when rape is inevitable, it is better to lie down and enjoy it".

Do @RahulGandhi and @priyankagandhi agree with this shameless comment?

Will they demand his resignation? https://t.co/hU1ptnKQon

— C T Ravi 🇮🇳 ಸಿ ಟಿ ರವಿ (@CTRavi_BJP) December 16, 2021

Kumar apologised on Twitter, saying that he will choose his words more carefully in future.

I would like to express my sincere apologies to everyone for the indifferent and negligent comment I made in today’s assembly about “Rape!” My intention was not trivialise or make light of the heinous crime, but an off the cuff remark! I will choose my words carefully henceforth!

— K. R. Ramesh Kumar (@KRRameshKumar1) December 16, 2021