Russian Consulate protests Goa MP's remarks on rape

New Delhi/Mumbai:The Russian Consulate in Mumbai on Wednesday protested to the Goa government over state Congress MP Shantaram Naik's "insensitive remarks" about the alleged rape of a Russian woman.

A 25-year-old Russian has accused a local politician, John Fernandes, of raping her in the early hours of December 2.

The Congress MP from Goa on Tuesday attracted the ire of women members in the Rajya Sabha for saying that a rape case should be treated differently if the victim is known to be moving with strangers beyond the middle of the night.

Naik blamed the media for highlighting the controversial case of a Russian woman working in Goa who has claimed she was raped earlier this month by a state politician in his car after having dinner with him.

"An alleged rape of a lady who moves with strangers for days together, even beyond the middle of the night, is to be treated on a different footing," he had said.

His remarks antagonised women members who sought the intervention of Deputy Speaker K. Rahman Khan, saying Naik should not be allowed to speak the language which was derogatory to women.

The Russian consulate said if the Goa government believes the rape is justified since the woman was out of her hotel at 2am, it would warn Russian nationals visiting the state, said sources.

"Shantaram Naik's remark was absolutely irresponsible and derogatory and a public figure like him should not speak like that. Rape is rape, and cannot be classified on different footing," Girija Vyas, chairperson of the National Commission for Women, told IANS. "A woman who is raped is a victim and the Russian woman is a victim too," she added.

In an earlier letter to Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, the Russian consul general had said on December 14 that "crimes against women" in Goa were increasing and that the mission was willing to tell its citizens not to go out after 10pm in Goa, if it helped the situation.

Naik yesterday defended his comments and welcomed the consulate's concerns on its citizens stepping out "during late hours of night".

‘Guilty mind'

John Fernandes, accused of raping the Russian woman in Goa, has gone missing after his anticipatory bail was cancelled by the high court Tuesday, police said Wednesday.

Fernandes had been granted anticipatory bail by a local court earlier. Speaking to reporters, police spokesperson Atmaram Deshpande said that efforts were being made to trace him.

"Naturally it's a guilty mind. All steps required to catch fugitives will be done in this case now," he said.

The Goa police have been criticised for initially harassing the victim into not registering the offence. The victim has also alleged that the police were supporting the accused Fernandes, a local politician, instead of her.

On Tuesday, the Panaji bench of the Bombay High court, while cancelling Fernandes' anticipatory bail had observed the injuries on victim's vital parts like thighs and knees indicated that were was no possibility of any consent for the sexual act.