Three days after hooligans in Bengaluru went on a molestation rampage assaulting women who had gathered to celebrate the New Year, the assaulters are running free. But that's not all. Now Samajwadi party leader Abu Azmi had jumped in blaming the victims for the incident.

Three days after hooligans in Bengaluru went on a molestation rampage assaulting women who had gathered to celebrate the New Year, the assaulters are running free. But that's not all. Now Samajwadi party leader Abu Azmi had jumped in blaming the victims for the incident.

Azmi blamed the incident on Westernisation and the short clothes of the women. "If my sister or daughter goes out with another man to celebrate the New Year and her father or husband is not with them, do you think she will be safe? I don't think so," CNN-News18 quoted him as saying. The SP leader also compared women with sugar and petrol and stated that where there is sugar, there will be ants and that petrol will always attract fire.

Azmi also blamed the incident on westernisation and the popularity of short clothes. "In modern times, nudity is considered fashionable. It's a huge blot on Indian culture," he told ANI.

The Samajwadi Party, however, condemned Azmi's statement. Speaking with CNN-News18, Samajwadi Party leader, Juhie Singh said: "It's really unfortunate that Azmi thinks like that. The party condemns it. He should apologise."

Azmi's comment came after Karnataka home minister G Parmeshwara who had reportedly played down the incident stating said that molestation incidents are common in New Year's eve.

Speaking to ANI, Karnataka home minister, G Parmeshwara, said, "Such incidents do happen on New Year Day and on Christmas" without showing any remorse over the incident.

Such incidents do happen on #NewYear day and on #Christmas. We take a lot of precautions: G Parmeshwara,Karnataka Home Minister pic.twitter.com/RzHqHQLPgr — ANI (@ANI_news) January 2, 2017

Parmeshwara's statement and the Karnataka government which is currently under the Congress's rule has faced a lot of criticism from the centre and the public alike.

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party has condemned the incident. According to ANI, Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State (Home) said:

Unfortunate. How can such incidents happen? Strict action must be taken: Kiren Rijiju,MoS Home on reports of women molested in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/MQfoSqCGOr — ANI (@ANI_news) January 3, 2017

Home Minister Rajnath Singh also admitted that protecting the modesty of women is an important issue in the country, and state governments must take it seriously.

Protecting the modesty of women is an imp issue and any state Govt must take it seriously: HM on reports of women molested in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/SZcxmsJpPV — ANI (@ANI_news) January 3, 2017

The molestation incident took place on New Year's Eve when revellers had gathered to bring the new year MG Road and Brigade Road. As reported earlier, mobs of unruly men molested women who had gathered there. Despite three days since the incident, no FIR has been filed on the same as yet.