Sibal hits back at Dhankhar as row escalates over comment about ‘symptomatic malaise’ – The Week

New Delhi, Sept 2 (PTI) – Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday hit back at Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar for criticising him over an alleged SCBA resolution in which the senior advocate had termed the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata as a “symptomatic evil”.
Sibal said in a post on X: “Times of India (report); Rapes (2017-2022). Out of 1,551 cases of rape/gang rape, murder followed. Uttar Pradesh reported the most cases (280), followed by Madhya Pradesh (207), Assam (205), Maharashtra (155) and Karnataka (79). Dhankar ji: Have you seen this? Why is West Bengal missing? No discomfort?”
Dhankhar has criticised Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Sibal for describing the tragic incident at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata as a “symptomatic evil” in a purported resolution and suggesting that such incidents are commonplace.
“I am appalled; I am saddened and somewhat surprised that someone who holds a position in the Supreme Court Bar, a member of Parliament, should behave in such a way – and what does he say about it? A symptomatic malaise and the impression that such incidents are the order of the day? What a disgrace! I have no words to condemn such an attitude. This is the most injustice of all to this high position,” the Vice President said at an event on August 30 before students at Bharti College, Delhi University.
Regretting the use of the term “symptomatic malaise” by some “stray voices”, Dhankhar said at another event in Dehradun on Saturday that such statements “add to our excruciating pain and rub salt into our wounded conscience”.
“When humanity is shamed, there are isolated voices, voices that raise concerns. They only aggravate our excruciating pain. To put it mildly, they rub salt into our wounded conscience and say it is a symptomatic discomfort, a common occurrence,” the vice president had said.
“When it comes from a member of parliament, a senior lawyer, then the guilt is extreme. There can be no alibi for such demonic thoughts. I request such misguided souls to reconsider their thoughts and publicly apologise,” he had said.