'Castrate rapists like stray dogs': Rajasthan governor Haribhau Bagde sparks controversy

ALWAR: Rajasthan governor Haribhau Bagde courted controversy in Bharatpur Monday when he suggested forced sterilisation for rapists to deter sexual offences. Speaking at the District Bar Association's oath-taking ceremony, Bagde said offenders should be "thrashed and forcibly rendered impotent" to set an example.

Drawing a parallel with the municipal practices of neutering stray dogs for population control, the governor suggested that sexual offenders should be similarly sterilised and released. "There is a nagar panchayat in Maharashtra, where there were too many dogs and their numbers were increasing. The dogs were neutered there. After this, the number of dogs decreased. The same should be done with rapists and they should be made impotent and left...," he said.

He expressed frustration over the continuing incidents of sexual assault despite existing stringent laws, including capital punishment for offences against minors under 12. He criticised the public's passive response, noting that bystanders often record incidents on their phones instead of intervening.

"The current legal deterrents are proving insufficient," Bagde said, emphasising the need for immediate consequences and community intervention.

He referenced historical practices from Shivaji Maharaj's era, where physical punishment was used against offenders, and called for the revival of traditional values. Bagde also highlighted the importance of incorporating teachings of brotherhood in educational institutions to address what he described as diminishing family values in society.

His remarks sparked debate about appropriate measures to combat sexual violence, with some questioning the legality and ethics of his proposed solutions.


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