A minister in Bihar has said that sexual assault also occurs in countries such as the United States and Japan, according to NDTV. The remark came in response to questions about sexual assault cases in the state, NDTV reported.
The comment follows two reported incidents in Bihar. In Jamui, a Class 10 girl and boy were groped and assaulted while returning from coaching, according to The Hindu, which said the case sparked a political row. Separately, The Hindu reported that another minor girl was molested in Samastipur.
The cases have drawn political reactions. The Rashtriya Janata Dal questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Samastipur and Jamui incidents, asking where he had "disappeared," while ally Janata Dal (United) said it was "worried," according to Telegraph India. ThePrint reported that Bihar politicians made three offensive remarks concerning the Jamui assault.
The minister's comparison to the US and Japan was reported by NDTV as a "shocker" in the context of the Bihar cases. No further details of the minister's statement were available in the source material.
The incidents and the political fallout are likely to keep pressure on the state government. Further reactions from political parties and any updates on the Jamui and Samastipur cases are worth watching.
