KCR’s Home Minister blames “Advanced Zamana” for the Jubilee Hills case

Rape is not a new tragedy in India. Every year thousands of such acts are reported which shake your conscience to core. But, very few incidents occur where a third party is blamed for the ghastly act. Believe it or not, KCR’s Home Minister thinks that “Advanced Zamana” is responsible for the Jubilee Hills gang rape.

Teen girl gang raped in Hyderabad

On May 28, a teen girl was allegedly raped by 5 boys in Hyderabad. According to official reports, she met all 5 of them at a pub in the Jubilee Hills area. Apparently, all 5 accused of raping her are also minors studying in class 11 and 12 respectively. Allegedly, one of the accused is the son of an AIMIM MLA.

On the father’s complaint, the police registered it as a case of sexual assault under section 354 of the Indian Penal code and sections 9 and 10 of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Later after the counselling girl revealed the rape, and then the case was registered under section 376D of the IPC, and section 5 and 6 of the POCSO Act.

Read more: Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills is a testament that heinous crimes have no age bar

Minister blamed ‘advanced times’ for rape

Meanwhile, Telangana Home Minister sparked an outrage when he subtly blamed the teen girl for her rape. Mohammed Mahmood Ali, the Minister, was talking to the media about the delayed investigation of the case. Ali said that the investigation is delayed because the case is related to minors. “Because minor people are involved in the case, the probe has delayed by a day or two. Telangana police is strictly working on the case,” said Mohammed

He then went on to effectively blame the victim for the crime. According to him, the teen girl lives during the time of “advance zamana”. Asserting that police will control these types of incidents, he said, “Advance zamana aa chuka hai… kuch galtiya ho rahi hai uska bohot dukh hai par police zaroor control karegi (These are modern/advanced times that is giving rise to such mistakes. I feel sorry about it. The police will do everything to control it).”

Mohammed tried to skirt his responsibility

Probably Mohammed did not think that people will get his subtle blaming of the victim. According to Mohammed, the girl was raped because she went for a late night party which she should not have been doing. Nothing more disgraceful and more shameful could have come out of a politician’s mouth.

Police and other law enforcing agencies exist to safeguard the freedom and dignity of citizens. They are required to interfere in people’s personal lives only when their actions harm larger public interests. Otherwise, their duty is to focus on safeguarding citizens, especially women and children. Trying to curtail someone’s freedom because the person became a victim of crime is antithetical to the duty of a public servant.

Read more: Most Indians, it seems, are unaware of ‘Digital Rape’

Mohammed and Mulayam are in the same league

But, this is not the only time when Mohammed was found engaging in victim blaming. In the aftermath of the Hyderabad Rape case in 2019, the Home Minister blamed the victim for the unfortunate fate she met. The victim did not trust state machinery enough to call them in times of need. So, when she found herself in danger, she called her sister instead. But according to Mohammed, she should have called the police instead of her sister.

3 years later, Mohammed again proved that the Hydrabad victim was right in her decision. It seems as If she had dialled 100, Policeperson on the other side would have blamed her for the rape. After all, this is the mentality being passed on from the top brass of Political administration.

Mohammed has now joined a ‘coveted’ league of politicians like Mulayam Singh Yadav. Yadav had once exonerated boys from rape allegations, saying that, “ladke hain, galtiyan ho jaatin hain”

Ali and Mulayam may be the only ones’ who have spit out their inner feelings. Our political spectrum is filled with such people who blame victims for the crimes committed against them, especially rape. They do not say it to get votes. Instead, they say it because they actually believe in it. Such politicians need to be exposed and thrown out of public spaces.