Diplomat-turned-senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday (December 11, 2025) said he was shocked that India remains one of the few democracies where marital rape is not viewed with the seriousness it deserves, despite having stringent anti-rape laws.
Speaking at a programme organised by the Prabha Khaitan Foundation in association with the FICCI Ladies Organisation, Mr. Tharoor said, “I am shocked to find that India is one of the few democracies in the world where the case of a husband raping his wife without her consent is not treated with the seriousness as it should have been.”
He pointed out that while India has strong anti-rape law, there are exceptions for husbands which is nothing but marital rape violating a woman without her consent. “Why should they [husbands] be exempted?” he said.
“If one doesn’t respect his life partner and rapes her against her wishes citing conjugal relationship that is violation of law and violence against women,” he added.
He said the current provision rests on “an outdated assumption that marriage is a sacred sacrament and that whatever happens within it cannot be classified otherwise.” “We think a proper law against domestic rape is massively necessary in the country. It is however sad that even women Ministers holding particular portfolios did not look into this aspect,” to prevent such atrocities,” he said.
Mr. Tharoor said the exception is a “travesty,” of justice and it offers impunity even in cases where couples are separated but not yet divorced.
“A lot of marital rape occurs among couples who are separated but not legally divorced. You often see situations where, for example, talaq has been pronounced, the husband is living separately, and yet he returns whenever he wishes and forces himself on his wife and nothing can be done because the law still considers them husband and wife,” he said.
Explained: The laws on rape and sexual crimes
Mr. Tharoor was replying to a question by a female college student during a ‘tête-à -tea’ with him and his sisters, Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan and Smita Tharoor, at the GD Birla Sabhagar in Kolkata.
Observing that there is an implicit assumption that “marital rape” can be allowed within a conjugal marriage, he reiterated, “It is not part of conjugal love, it is violence.” “We need to stand up for rights of women, which in many ways are being overlooked. We should speak out,” Mr. Tharoor said to thunderous applause of the audience.
Asked about the alleged hostility towards Indians and other immigrants in the U.S. and Europe, he agreed that the “resentment has become so much more visible, so much overtly hostile.” “There is hostility to migrants, a xenophobia which is not just in the West but worldwide. People feel their dreams are being thwarted by people not like them. That hostility is increasing and is also visible in our country,” he said.
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“For young people going to U.S. for scholarship my advice will be gain knowledge and then come back. Your city needs you. Your country needs you,” he said.
Thanking his sisters and family for the “tremendous, emotional support to negotiate through the rough tumble of political life,” Mr. Tharoor said, “The most important thing to be true to oneself. To watch your values your capabilities” in the chosen domain.
“I always said there is no point in being a cookie cutter politician. I believe and stand by my politics, of my ideas, of my values. Even if my values are not palatable, I never flinch. I never said anything I did not believe in,” he said.
To a question about the perception that he communicates in exotic, uncommon English words, Mr. Tharoor said, “I like to think I am a communicator with people and there is no point in communicating if they don’t understand you.” Asked if he exercises diplomatic restraint at home, he quipped, “I won’t say I am diplomatic at home. There is no possibility of being under watch (when one is at home) whether you are following party line with every utterance and action when you are in the company of your near ones and not in public,” he explained.
Published – December 12, 2025 01:24 pm IST
