By Tirthankar Mitra
A woman’s honour was one of the issues triggering the battle of Kurukshetra while the Rajputs of Chittor fought to the last man defending the honour of their queen Padmini and other womenfolk. Standing up to defend a woman’s honour is thus not unheard of in India. Though Constitution has given equal rights to women, political misogyny continues to flourish seeking to reduce Mamata Banerjee or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to objects of ridicule.
The practice of sexist rhetoric and objectification of women can be traced back to the earlier years of the republic with firebrand Socialist leader dubbing Indira Gandhi a “gungi gudiya” (dumb doll) or his later day ideological successor and former Bihar chief minister, Lalu. Prasad Yadav infamously commenting roads with Hema Malini’s cheeks. Invectives hurled to the then principal Opposition leader of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee by leading lights of CPI(M) leadership were beyond the norms of parliamentary convention and political behaviour.
Over the years, sexist remarks towards woman politicians have been made with impunity. Of late, Delhi BJP leader, Ramesh Bidhuri’s recent slur made against Congress MP, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is aimed to demean individuals. It’s other goal is perpetuating marginalisation of women in politics. Inaction against Bidhuri lends credence to this doubt.
Seeking to undermine the progress of women in public life, misogyny prevails in Indian politics. Not much protest is heard against it post the electoral triumphs of the BJP in different polling processes. Worse these sentences often find acceptance in the cultural milieu. It is normalised by a society conditioned to tolerate casual sexism.
Political parties project themselves as champions of gender equality. They tout their commitment to women empowerment through various schemes and programmes. Schemes like Ladli Behna and Pyari Didi aim at women empowerment. But they ring hollow in the context of the views towards women and girls by the saffronites.
It is time to end the disconnect between words and deeds. The question remains that how can a political party in India overlook comments of its members demeaning women in public forum after having launched schemes for their financial uplift. This is glaring. It also undermines the sincerity of these initiatives. The misogyny is more than a political issue. It is a social problem.
There seems to be a cultural tolerance to sexism in our society.. Inappropriate remarks are dismissed as harmless banter or political theatrics. No action has been taken against Bidhuri yet. He ought to have been suspended from the party as a warning . A swift and decisive action against offenders, regardless of their stature and influence.
It is unlikely that any action would be taken against him. Courtesy has taken a backseat in modern day politics especially when members of the saffron camp take on their political opponents. It is Priyanka Gandhi in this case. And she is the target owing to the family she comes from. Misogyny has no place in a democracy that aspires to represent and empower all its citizens. Time has come to consign sexist rhetoric to the past and create a political culture that respects women. (IPA Service)
Trump’s Dangerous Rhetoric Will Push The World Into Quagmire 