Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) NCP-SP leader Naseem Siddiqui on Saturday came in support of an alleged objectionable remark made by the All India Imam Association President Maulana Sajid Rashidi, associating sexual assault cases with women opting for late marriages, saying “At least 50 per cent of rape cases occur because women are not married off early”.

Earlier on Friday, Maulana Rashidi sparked a major controversy by making a similar statement during a public interaction.

“Rapes are occurring because marriages are being delayed. If you want to ensure your daughters’ safety, get them married early,” Rashidi had said.

Speaking to IANS, Naseem Siddiqui defended the Maulana’s statement, saying: “What he said is absolutely correct.”

“Just as the human body has different needs, and just as people need food, sex is also a natural human need for men. Men may also engage in sexual relations before marriage, but they are not stigmatised, whereas women often face social stigma,” he said.

Siddiqui claimed: “Somewhere late marriages are also one of the reasons of rape and sexual abuse.”

The NCP-SP leader urged that the matter should not be given a different angle.

“If girls are allowed to vote at the age of 18 years, that means they are adult…and boys by the age of 21 years, there should not be any barriers to marriage after that. As soon as a girl becomes an adult, she should be married at the earliest,” he said.

“When marriages are delayed, they are being exposed to all kinds of information on mobile phones in today’s age of technological advancements and therefore may indulge in wrongdoings. So, Maulana’s statement should be taken in a positive way,” he added.

He also said: “At least 50 per cent of rape cases occur because women are not married early and then get trapped in some love triangle.”

Earlier on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission Chairperson Babita Chauhan launched a harsh critique against the Muslim cleric, accusing him of possessing a “narrow mindset”.

“Today, India’s women have made the country proud across various fields, even at the global level. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also talks about women empowerment and wants to brings them at par with men because women comprise half of the nation’s population. If we are still lagging behind, it is because of people having this kind of mentality,” she told IANS.

–IANS

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