Nothing like everyday misogyny and sexism to kickstart the week. Apparently, women should take it as a compliment if politicians compare roads to their cheeks. Here is what happened.
My challenge is to the person who has been MLA for 30 years ( Eknath Khadse) to come towards my house (in his constituency, Jalgaon district), if the roads are not like Hema Malini’s cheek, then I will resign: Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Gulabrao Patil (19.12) pic.twitter.com/ZY3apEyjxA
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2021
Shiv Sena (heh, who else) leader Gulabrao Patil on Sunday challenged now NCP and former BJP leader Eknath Khadse to go towards his house in his constituency in Jalgaon district and if the roads are not like that of Hema Malini’s cheeks, he would resign.
Hema Malini is an actress and also Member of Parliament from Mathura constituency. That her colleague decided to compare roads (rather the smoothness of them, one would believe) to her cheeks, just shows how for some men, a woman, irrespective of her achievements, will never command equal respect only because she is a woman. Patil could have compared the roads near his house to perhaps roads elsewhere like in neighbouring state Gujarat which has phenomenal infrastructure, but no.
It is problematic on multiple levels because even though we have people talking more and more about feminism and everyday sexism at workplace (for elected public representative such as Malini, the likes of Patil would be colleagues and this would fall under workplace harassment), we still have to deal with such jibes.
Not long ago, Rajasthan Minister and a senior Congress leader had decided to refer to roads to Katrina Kaif’s cheeks. In fact, he had first said that the roads should be like Hema Malini’s cheeks, but then said how she has now become old and hence they should be like Katrina Kaif’s cheeks. In 2019, Congress leader PC Sharma compared the roads of Madhya Pradesh with the cheeks of BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya and said the Congress government would make them like the cheeks of Hema Malini. Back in 2005, RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav also gave a similar sexist statement. At the time, he had said that Bihar roads would become as smooth as the cheeks of Hema Malini.
Malini, perhaps sick and tired of the jibes, seemed to have had enough and finally broke her silence and said how it is not a nice thing to say.
#WATCH “A trend of such statements was started by Lalu Ji years ago and many people have followed this trend. Such comments are not in a good taste,” says BJP MP Hema Malini on Maharashtra minister Gulabrao Patil comparing roads to her cheeks pic.twitter.com/SJg5ZTrbMw
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2021
She said that common people making such statements one cannot stop them, but if politicians make such statements it is not in a good taste. “Any women should not be used for saying such things,” she said. And while she did not seek an apology, one would assume that people in power would eventually correct themselves.
One would have thought that after over 15 years, the politicians would have evolved like the rest of humankind and senior leaders of party would come down heavily on such objectification of women. But no.
This type of comparison has happened earlier too. It’s a respect for Hema Malini. So, don’t see it negatively. Earlier, Lalu Yadav had also given a similar example. We respect Hema Malini: Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena MP pic.twitter.com/qksjYfR9Vw
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2021
Shiv Sena MP, ‘Ch*tiya’ Sanjay Raut, defended the statement and said how comparing Hema Malini’s cheeks to road is ‘a respect for her’. He even urged everyone to not take it negatively. He claimed he respects Malini. To make things clear, Sanjay Raut here is referred to as ‘ch*tiya’ because he himself believes that ch*tiya, a term most people find derogatory, means ‘stupid’. So, here is me, just referring to him as ‘stupid’ by calling him ‘ch*tiya’. And since he was upset at an FIR against him for using the word, I will assume that he will not sue me either.
Coming back, such blatant objectification and subsequent brazening it out is just one more example how much harder it is for women, especially in places which is predominantly a ‘men’s world’. BJP MP from Amethi and Union Minister Smriti Irani has also been subjected to relentless sexist behaviour from her colleagues and critics. Just few days back Uttar Pradesh Congress’ official account tweeted a video of a woman hurling sexist abuses to Smriti Irani. That they think it is okay to do it shows how a party whose leader mouths platitudes on women empowerment is so deeply rotten.
Aam Aadmi Party, too, recently launched a sexist attack on Irani and PM Modi.
Assam Congress leader Nilamoni Sen Deka, the former state Agriculture minister, reportedly said at a public meeting in Nalbari that many people refer to Smriti Irani as the second wife of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s brother in law, a relative of her husband Robert Vadra, has often gone on sexist and vulgar rampage on Smriti Irani.
Similarly, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also been on the receiving end of sexist jibes.
And what makes these things worse is that not only the flag bearers of feminism maintain silence on the insult accorded to ‘Sanghis’ (because they believe Sanghis deserve to die anyway), ch*tiya people like Raut even think that such behaviour is compliment.
The woe is women, having to fight with ch*ityas on all fronts.
