Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who drew wide criticism over his remark on the gang-rape of two girls, said that his statement about the unfortunate incident was “taken out of context.”
Sawant said he was deeply pained by the incident and ensured “most stringent punishment under the law” would be given to accused in the case.
On Sunday, four men, including a driver from the agriculture department, allegedly impersonated as police and raped two girls after bashing the boys who were along with them on Benaulim beach. All the four accused have been arrested.
Parents should introspect on why their kids were on the beach late at night, Sawant said in a State Assembly on Wednesday.
The chief minister had said parents have a responsibility to ensure their children’s safety and hinted they should not let their kids out at night, especially minors.
His remarks, however drew enraged reactions and wide criticism, to which Sawant replied, “As the head of a responsible govt and as a father of a 14 year old daughter, I was deeply pained and disturbed. The pain of this incident is inexplicable,” he noted.
Our fellow citizens’ safety is always my government’s top priority, he said, adding that safety of children particularly the minors has to be a shared responsibility. “Our right to security has to be strengthened further with more cautiousness.”
The chief minister said that a curfew imposed in the state, and therefore people are restricted at public places. “So, when I spoke about a shared responsibility for minors, it was out of concern, care and love for my citizens and our children,” he added.
He said that he can never directly or indirectly hurt the sentiments of the fellow Goa citizens.
Reiterating that there would be no compromise in matters concerning children’s safety and security, Sawant said, “Let there be no place for misunderstanding. Let us trust each other. Let us stand united as one so that all such evils can be defeated with all our might,” he added.
