Home minister's remarks on molestation case spark row

Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara stoked a controversy on Monday after commenting on a recent incident of sexual harassment in Bengaluru, triggering protests from the Bharatiya Janata Party that accused him of downplaying a serious crime.

- Arun Dev

BENGALURU: Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara stoked a controversy on Monday after commenting on a recent incident of sexual harassment in Bengaluru, triggering protests from the Bharatiya Janata Party that accused him of downplaying a serious crime.

His remarks have come under sharp criticism for his comments on a recent incident of sexual harassment in Bengaluru, where a woman was allegedly groped by a man on a city street. His response — calling such incidents occasional in a large city — triggered outrage from the opposition BJP, which accused him of downplaying a serious crime and failing to ensure women's safety.

In the early hours of April 3, CCTV footage from BTM Layout in Bengaluru showed a man stalking two women and groping one of them before fleeing. The footage, widely shared on social media, sparked public concern and led the police to initiate action.