Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday defended Minister of State for Home Affairs Yogesh Kadam who came under fire from the Oppostion for his intemperate remark on an incidence of rape in Pune’s Swargate bus depot on Thursday.

Following his visit to the Swargate bus stand on Thursday and getting a briefing about the incident from the police, addressing a press conference, Kadam said, “A man with a criminal mind spoke sweetly to a woman for a few minutes. We know what happened after that. There was no fight, no argument, nor any force. Nothing like that happened. Whatever took place, happened very peacefully. There was no shouting there, nor was there a fight. We will get more information only after the accused is taken into custody,” Kadam said.

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It may be recalled that the rape survivor had believed the accused who misled her into an parked empty bus at the bus stand that was dark in the morning and closed the door of the bus before she could realise what was happening. He raped her inside the empty dark bus threatening to kill her if she screamed.

After the Opposition criticised him for his statement, CM Fadnavis, who also heads the Home Ministry said, “What Yogesh Kadam was trying to say has been misinterpreted. He is new to the job and is trying to do something. However, I would say that he should speak sensibly. My advice would be that people’s representatives should speak sensitively.”

Earlier, Congress leader Vijay Vadettiwar demanded that the chief minister should take action against Kadam. “Is Yogesh Kadam calling the girl a liar? He made it sound as if the girl is the accused.”

Vadettiwar demanded that the government clarify on Kadam’s statement.

Castigating Kadam for his irresponsible statement, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said, “If they think such incidents happening to a woman and a girl are normal, then they should be thrown out on the streets. Yesterday, the state’s Minister of State for Home Affairs Yogesh Kadam said that the rape was going on quietly. That girl did not struggle and that she allowed everything to happen quietly”.

“How insensitive is the minister’s statement regarding atrocities on women! Why don’t you pass a resolution in cabinet in favour of rape? Only after the Opposition raised its voice, the police began searching for the accused. BJP’s Sanjay Savkare is a minister for textiles and he said that such incidents keep happening. You might recall that When a minister called R R Patil had said that small things tend to happen in big cities, he was forced to resign. So, both Sanjay Savkare and Yogesh Kadam must resign from the cabinet. If such insensitive people are in his cabinet, then Devendra Fadnavis should also resign,” Raut said.

Meanwhile, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar told the leaders and ministers of the ruling BJP-Sena-NCP Mahayuti alliance to avoid making insensitive estatements. “One should weigh one’s words before uttering them. They should not indicate that one is protecting the culprit. Everybody must be cautious while reacting to any such incident,” NCP leader and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said.

“It is an incident that has put humanity to shame. The accused was arrested at around 1 am today. A thorough investigation is going on. The accused is going to be presented in court today. Everything will become clear after that. I spoke to the Commissioner of Police this morning. He told me that the accused was taken into custody at 1 am and is being questioned,” Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said.