Women are chattel in the Hindu tradition, i.e. they're are the property of men and are seen as subservient subjects whose sole existence is to serve the needs of men.
Rape is a crime in the Indian penal code (courtesy of the Brits), but the average man on the street has only the vaguest concept of what rape means. To them raping a woman is no different from having sex with a bicycle seat. No consent needed.