Addressing the shocking Kathua and Unnao rape cases that shook the entire nation, the International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde called out Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian authorities for not paying more attention to the women in the country.
IMF chief Christine Lagarde on Thursday in Washington described the heinous rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir "revolting".
"What has happened (in India) is just revolting. I would hope that the Indian authorities, starting with Prime Minister Modi pay more attention because it is needed for the women of India," Lagarde said.
This isn't the first time that Lagarde has hit out PM Modi on the condition of women in India. When Modi was in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum meet in January, Lagarde had told PM that he didn't mention the woman of India enough in his speech to the summit.
"When I was last in Davos after Prime Minister Modis speech, I did tell him that he had not mentioned the women of India enough. And its not just a question of talking about them," Lagarde added.
However, she clarified that this was her personal opinion. She said. "By the way, this is not an IMF official position. It is my position."
While speaking at the historic Central Hall Westminster, Modi had said that rapes are a matter of serious concern for India.
Though PM Modi did not specify if he was addressing a particular case but it was clear that his comments were in the context of the Kathua and Unnao gang-rape cases.
"How painful it is when a little girl is raped. How can you say that these many women were raped during our government and this many during yours? Rape is rape. How can we bear this?" PM Modi questioned.
He further said that rape is rape and it shouldn't be politicised.
"I have never indulged in counting the number of rape incidents in this government and that government. Rape is rape, be it now or earlier. It is extremely sad. Dont politicise rape incidents," he added.
Modi's remarks come against the backdrop of a nationwide outrage over the rape cases in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao. In the Kathua case, an eight-year-old girl from a nomadic community was raped and killed.
In the Unnao case, the victim has alleged that she was raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar at his residence on June 4, 2017 where she had gone with a relative seeking a job.
In his speech, Modi also addressed the safety of woman in India by calling it a matter of grave concern.
"At the Red Fort, I had said that when a girl comes home late, her parents question her, ask her about who she went out with, who is she talking to. Why don't they do that [ask the same questions] with their sons?" PM Modi said at the London event.