Uttarakhand CM’s ‘ripped jeans’ remark draws flak
DEHRADUN : Women rights activists and the Congress on Wednesday criticised chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat’s comments a day earlier that wearing ripped jeans is not Indian culture but aping of the West.
“Showing bare knees by wearing ripped jeans just to look like rich kids is the value given now which is just a race towards westernisation when the Western world today is following us. Ripped jeans pave the way for societal breakdown and is a bad example parents set for children,” he said.
Heera Jangpangi, a women’s rights activist, said the statement is completely unwelcome. “Nobody has the right to ... [speak about] one’s attire,” she said. “It is just a sign of patriarchal mindset.”
Congress leader Garima Dasauni said being the chief minister does not give Rawat a right to speak on anyone’s lifestyle choices. “It was a highly derogatory statement... He has no right to speak on anyone’s attire or food habits...”
Citing a recent incident of a BJP leader being accused of rape, she said, “On one hand when their leaders are accused of rape, they keep mum but on the other hand are lecturing people on culture by citing attire.”
BJP state vice president Devendra Bhasin said Rawat was just drawing attention towards the deterioration of values.
“He stressed the importance of decency, which is a positive message. But if the Congress finds negativity in it, then it means it does not believe in societal values...”