Regarding the statement of the Goa CM following the rape in Goa

On the 25^th July, 20201, the two minor girls were allegedly raped by four men near Benaulim Beach. They reportedly also tried to extort money from the girls threatening to circulate videos of the assault. Subsequently, Asif Hateli, Rajesh Mane, Gajanan Chinchankar, and Nitin Yabbal, all locals, were arrested on gang rape and extortion charges. They are currently in police custody.

Under pressure from the opposition over the ‘collapse of law and order ‘ following the gang rape of two minor girls on a beach, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant replied to motion by the Opposition in the Assembly.

Sawant said, “Ten people went to a party on the beach of which six went home and four stayed back all night — two boys and two girls. They are 14-year-old children. Parents in Goa should also think about this. They also need to take care. You cannot blame only the government and police. If 14-15 year-olds stay on the beach all night, we need to think about this. Parents are also responsible.”

On Thursday, the CM repeated this, saying, “It is the responsibility of parents also. They should take responsibility while sending minor children out.”

The opposition attacked Sawant over his remarks holding parents accountable.

The leader of the Goa Forward Party Vijai Sardesai said “The Goa CM must be living in the Stone Age, but the world has moved on. By harboring such revolting notions in this day and age, he has proven that his government is prejudiced and misogynistic. What safety and security can women expect from this government?”

Congress Goa Chief Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted, “I strongly condemn the statement of Dr Pramod Sawant. So if girls are out in the night, are they inviting men to rape them? What kind of sick mindset is that? Instead of maintaining law and order, the CM of Goa is blaming girls.”

Social media, known for its lack of nuance exploded with outrage as it always does with a myriad hashtags.

So does the opposition have a point?

Did the CM err in his assertions?

For that you have to place yourself in a hypothetical situation. Imagine your friend's child returns home with a deep flesh wound and wailing in pain after a game of football.

How does one react as a friend of a parent in peril?

Do you scold the child for playing football in the rain where the ground is slippery?

Do you scold the parent for not teaching his son how to protect himself?

Do you scold the parent for allowing the child to play in the rain while they sit at home comfortably sipping hot cups of coffee?

Do you scold the parent for not having medical insurance?

Emphatically not,  that would be the equivalent of pouring salt over wounds.

The humane act to do is offer unmitigated support, compassion and help the family in every way. Perhaps offer to drive them to the hospital or drive the doctor home. Perhaps rush to the local pharmacy to buy medicine. Perhaps offer words of support that they will soon be out of this. Perhaps you bring them cooked food on a regular basis as they deal with the ordeal. Perhaps you offer immediate financial support.

Several weeks later when the wounds have healed and the panic has receded you may want to have a conversation with your friend about being a bit more careful about allowing his son to play football in the rain and the dire consequences it may have. You can also expound on the importance of medical insurance.

Upon listening to this, the parent may be much more receptive and may initiate immediate remedial measures.

A crime that occurred in Goa was rape and the victims were underage girls. 

Rape is the most heinous act that a human being can commit against another human being. The impact is not just physical but deeply psychological. Even upon recovery, the mental impact is lifelong. Societal attitudes towards the rape victim make it even worst, even the most compassionate tend to find a way to blame the victim. The fact that the victim is underaged makes it inexplicably abominable.

At a time such as this, the statement the CM should have issued was only that of sympathy and empathy for the victim and their loved ones. The CM should have announced help to the victim for whatever medical and rehabilitation they needed. The CM should have urged the opposition to not play politics at a delicate moment such as this. The CM should have announced new measures to ensure the safety of every citizen.  CM should have talked about training women in the art of self-defense and also talked about the need to accept victims back in society without victim-blaming or moral judgment.

Perhaps a few months later, the CM could have talked about parental responsibility.

The CM most certainly has a point that the government with the budget it has cannot provide policing services and protection in every little corner of the state. To ensure safety it is essential that necessary precautions are taken. In the end, a preventive measure is always better than a cure.

If you were to step out at 2AM and night and walk the streets, you meet some shady character. If any harm were to come to you whom do you blame? Yourself or the perpetrator?

Obviously the perpetrator is primarily at fault, but you are being reckless too by stepping out at a time when criminal activities are likely to occur. If you happen to be a minor, the responsibility lies solely with the parents.

Good advice and perhaps a gentle admonition can always be helpful it is just the timing that always matters.

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Just today, the Goa Chief Minister said his words were taken "out of context" and described himself as "deeply pained and disturbed".

"My statement about the unfortunate incident was taken out of context. Both as head of a responsible government and as a father of a 14-year-old daughter, I was deeply pained and disturbed. The pain of this incident is inexplicable," Mr. Sawant was quoted by news agency ANI.

"At no point, have I ever denied the right to security provided by our law. Goa Police has truly been a professional force, especially when it comes to the security of women and children. They have already acted swiftly and arrested the accused," he added.

"Let me assure you that I shall ensure that the culprits get the most stringent punishment under the law. The safety of our citizens is always my government's top priority."