Jammu: National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Monday defended Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his "women are still being sexually assaulted" remark, saying Gandhi did not say anything wrong and that there was nothing unusual in his statement.
"Is this not a fact that sexual violence is prevalent in India. Do we need Rahul Gandhi to tell us that. Open any newspaper, do we not hear cases of rape so what did Rahul Gandhi say that is so unusual," he told reporters in Jammu.
The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir was responding to a question about a Delhi Police team showing up at Gandhi's residence on Sunday to inquire about his "women are still being sexually assaulted" statement that he made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Police had earlier issued a notice with a questionnaire to Gandhi seeking details of victims who approached him about sexual harassment in order to initiate a probe into the matter.
"He (Rahul Gandhi) did not say anything (on sexual violence) specific to Kashmir. He himself told me during the course of his foot march (Bharat Jodo Yatra) that women came up to him at numerous places and complained that they have been victims of sexual violence," the NC leader said.
"Is India rape free country? Is India free of sexual violence? We know sexual violence takes place so why is government apologetic about it. What they need to do is to find those guilty (of sexual violence) and punish them. Rahul Gandhi did not say anything wrong", added Abdullah.
Regarding the notices served to him by the Delhi police, Gandhi on Monday had said he cannot be intimidated by the repeated political attacks on him.
"Many people may be scared of the Prime Minister, BJP, RSS and the police, but I am not. I am not scared of them in the least and that is their problem. Their problem is why I am not scared. The reason is I believe in the truth", the Congress leader said.
"It does not matter how much I am attacked, how many times police are sent to my house or how many cases are there on me, I always stand for the truth. That is the way I am," he added.