Comments Misread, But I Take It Back

New Delhi:

A National Commission for Women member — who had triggered a massive controversy by commenting that the gang-rape and murder of a 50-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh could have been avoided had the victim not gone out alone in the evening — has expressed “regrets” over her remark.

“My comment was misread, but I take it back,” Chandramukhi Devi, the NCW member, told NDTV.

The 50-year-old victim had gone to the temple on Sunday afternoon and was sexually assaulted and killed allegedly by an occultist and his two disciples. The three men have been arrested.

The NCW member had gone to Badaun – 200 kilometers from the national capital – earlier this week to meet the victim’s family when she made the controversial comment.

“I think if she had not gone out in the evening or was accompanied by any child of the family, perhaps this incident could have been avoided. But this was pre-planned as she was called through a phone call. She went (out) and then returned in such a state,” she was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

NCW chief Rekha Sharma had condemned the remark.

“I don’t know how and why the member has said this but women have all the right to move on their will whenever and wherever they want to. It’s society and state’s duty to make places safe for women,” she tweeted last week.