Minister Smriti Irani claimed; No, Rahul Gandhi did not say 'women should be raped', In Parliament

In Jharkhand, on December 12, in an election rally, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the Modi government over crimes against women. "From Make in India to Rape in India" was the headline of many report outlets about his speech.

Rahul has drawn criticism from the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party, with textile minister Smriti Irani attacking him in Parliament. "This is the first time in history that a leader is giving a clarion call that Indian women should be raped," Irani said. "Is this Rahul Gandhi's message to the people of the country?"

This is what Smriti Irani has said:

"A party's politician gives a public clarion call that India's women should be raped. This is the first time in history that Congress party's politician has included crime as serious as rape as a part of political mockery. This is the first time in history that a son of the Gandhi family has publicly called that women in India should be raped. I want to ask the hon' speaker, Rahul Gandhi is a politician of this parliament, he is a lawmaker of his parliament. Is it his statement that all men in India want to rape women? Is it his statement to citizens of this country that he makes a public call that the nation's women be raped? Hon' speaker, this is not about the dignity of just the men and women of this Parliament but a member of this Parliament is demanding for the first time that India's women be raped. These words were uttered out of his mouth. Ask any woman of this country, if there is a public call for her rape, she knows how to give a fitting reply."

BJP members have demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi because of the statement of Smriti Irani.

Smriti Irani has added:

"I want your protection, hon' speaker for the women of this country. A lawmaker from the Gandhi family has made a public call for women to be raped. Will you punish him? I appeal to you on behalf of this country's families. Every man, brother, the father is not a rapist. The ones who are, are strictly punished by law. But to publically call for the rape of all women, hon' speaker, this should be punished."

In conclusion, the Minister said:

"A public call 'come rape in India'. This is the most heinous statement given by a political leader. He should be punished."

Media outlets have reported the Irani's impassioned remark.

What did Rahul Gandhi actually had said?

In Godda, while addressing a public rally, the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at the Modi government for the widespread crimes against women.

"Narendra Modi had said 'Make in India' but nowadays wherever you look, it is 'Rape in India," he said. "Open a newspaper, a woman is raped in Jharkhand. See in Uttar Pradesh, Narendra Modi's MLA raped a woman and the car met with an accident but Narendra Modi didn't say a word. In every state, every day, rape in India. Narendra Modi says 'BetiPadhoBetiBacho'. But Modiji you did not say save from whom? Save her from BJP's MLA."

Now Rahul Gandhi has refused to apologies for his statement while reiterating its meaning by stating:

"I won't apologise," he said. "Let me clarify what I said. I said the PM keeps talking about 'Make In India'. So when one opens the newspaper one hoped that one would see news about it, but what do we see when we open the papers? We see so many cases of rapes."

Rahul Gandhi has also tweeted a video on twitter in which PM Modi can be heard describing Delhi as the "rape capital".