Union minister blames live-in relationships for rising crime

New Delhi: Union Minister Kaushal Kishore on Thursday said live-in relationships are "giving rise to crime" and suggested that educated girls should not get into such relationships, remark that comes against the backdrop of the gruesome Mehrauli killing, prompting Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi to demand his resignation.

Chaturvedi urged Prime minister Narendra Modi to sack Kishore immediately from the Council of Ministers for his "blame-the-women" remark which she described as "heartless and cruel". Kishore is the Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs.

Kishore, while referring to the Shradha Walkar murder case, said educated girls are responsible for leaving parents for live-in relationships that lead to crime, and suggested that they should instead go for court marriage.

"These incidents are happening with all those girls who are well educated and think they are very frank and have the ability to take decisions about their future. Such girls get embroiled in this. The girls should take care as to why they are doing so. Educated girls are responsible as both the father and mother had refused for the relationship. Educated girls should not get into such relationships," he told "News18" while referring to the Walkar murder case.(PTI)