New Delhi: Left parties on Friday slammed SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for his comments on rape, demanding an apology from him and sought stringent code of conduct to prevent political leaders from making sexist remarks.
"One may oppose the death penalty for rape offenders, but to trivialise rape as a `small mistake` as the Samajwadi Party President Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav has done, is most shocking and condemnable," CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat said.
She said this underlined "the urgent necessity for a code of conduct for political leaders against sexist and anti-women remarks."
In another statement, the CPI Central Secretariat sought an apology from Yadav "to the women of India", saying his comments amounted to "brutalising the wounds of victims of such crimes in the society".
"This episode once again reflects that the mindset with gender discriminatory approach needs to be changed, along with strict application of stringent laws if we have to achieve secure environment for half the population of our country," it said.
In the aftermath of December 16, 2012 rape case and the new law passed by Parliament, "it becomes much more a responsibility of all sections of society and specially the politicians to work for implementation of these laws for safe environment to children, girls and women," the CPI said.
