Rapes occur in India not in Bharat: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

New Delhi, Jan 4: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (

) supremo

's comment on

has stirred a controversy. Speaking at a public forum in Silchar, Assam, RSS supremo said that rapes occur in India and not in Bharat. According to Bhagwat, rapes are rare in "Bharat" (rural India) but more prevalent in urban areas where Indians are deeply influenced by western values

Bhagwat said, "Such crimes hardly take place in 'Bharat' but they occur frequently in 'India'."

"You go to villages and forests of the country and there will be no such incidents of gangrape or sex crimes. They are prevalent in some urban belts. The Indian ethos and attitude towards women should be revisited in the context of ancient Indian values," he added.

Defending Bhagwat's controversial remark that rapes hardly take place in rural India but occur frequently in urban India, RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav on Friday, Jan 4 said that the outfit had 'great respect for women'.

"The statement of the RSS chief should be taken in proper perspective. He (Bhagwat) has already demanded strict punishment for rapists and even called for the death penalty if required," Madhav said.

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