Finance Minister Arun Jaitley regrets that his remarks were construed as insensitive

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said he regretted that his remarks at a tourism conference about a rape incident had been construed as insensitive and said that was no question of trivialising any crime.

“I regret that the statement has been construed, or some words that I have used have been construed, as insensitive. That was never my intention,” Jaitley said, as he sought to clarify his remarks which were criticised by several people on social media, the Congress party and parents of Nirbhaya, the 23-year-old, whose brutal rape in December 2012 shook the conscience of the entire nation.

Jaitley, while addressing an annual conference of state tourism ministers on Thursday, had reportedly said, “one small incident of rape” in the national capital was advertised around the world and this had affected tourism in India costing the country millions of dollars as global tourists kept away. The finance minister clarified that he has always condemned cases of crime, particularly those against women.

“I am very sensitive to these issues myself and there is no question of trivialising any crime or any particular incident. I had not referred to any particular incident,” he said, adding that he had only referred “in general” to how crime can hurt tourism and the image of crime against women itself dissuades tourists from coming to India.

Jaitley had not mentioned any particular case but his comments were construed as a reference to the Nirbhaya case. He faced criticism from Nirbhaya's mother who said: “He has disappointed me. During elections they had used Nirbhaya's name for political gains and after coming to power they call it a minor incident.”

Nirbhaya's father too expressed his dismay over the remarks. “We are deeply hurt by what he has said. No rape is small, each rape incident is shameful for a country and when public figures and politicians make such statements it looks so insensitive. They should remember that when they speak, not only our country but the whole world listens,” he said.

The women's wing of Congress staged protests outside Jaitley's house and demanded an apology. Twitter and social media networks like twitter were abuzz with comments against Jaitley.