Chandrakant Patil sexist comment on the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule did not go as smoothly as he thought it would. The President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra Patil, who was leading protests against the state government over the OBC reservation issue told Sule, "If you don't understand politics, go home and cook."
The incident took place yesterday when Supriya Sule was addressing a party meeting on the same issue and talked about the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and how they got relief from the Supreme Court over the OBC reservation. She said, "The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh came to Delhi and met 'someone'...I don't know what suddenly happened over the next two days and they got a go-ahead for OBC reservations..."
Patil was protesting just a short distance away from where Sule was holding the party meeting. In reply to her statement, he said, "Why are you in politics? Go home and cook. You are in politics and you don't understand how to meet a CM? You (also) go to Delhi or go to hell, wherever, but give reservations."
Suggested Reading: Why Do Male Leaders Like Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Still Look Down Upon Women In Politics?
Chandrakant Patil Sexist Comment
The arguments about the reservation have been going on for the last few months in Maharashtra especially after the Supreme Court stayed political reservation for OBCs in local bodies. The BJP blames the state government while they blame the centre for not providing the empirical data.
Banters in politics is a common view but what should not be tolerated is the sheer sexism and misogyny with which the male leaders pride themselves. A simple test to understand if a statement was made politically or based on a person's gender is to ask one question- if it was a male politician on the opposite side, would Patil still ask him to go home and cook?
Patil may have taken it for granted that women have only one job and that is to look after the household. He must have also thought that women can be easily bullied. Well, he is not the only "public representative" who is a man and thinks on a similar track. Sexism and misogyny while attacking an opposition woman leader is quite rampant.
To think of women as a second-class citizen and retain stereotypical ideas despite calling themselves leaders of people, which ideally includes women. It's disheartening to see leaders taking up important positions and holding mics to deliver welfare policies for "all" people, only to open their mouths and be sexist.
No one is saying that debates and disagreements in politics are wrong, it is only healthy till the time one knows the line of unaccepting, problematic behaviour. Even Sule's husband, who generally keeps away from politics, took to social media and pointed out the misogyny in the statement. Sadanand Sule wrote, "I have always maintained that they (BJP) are misogynistic and demean women whenever they can. I am proud of my wife, who is a homemaker, mother and a successful politician, one amongst many other hardworking and talented women in India. This is an insult to all women."
Feature Image Credit: Mumbai Live
/shethepeople/media/agency_attachments/iUYfaBbcMozaYLoGnoov.png)
Maharashtra BJP Chief Tells Supriya Sule To Go Home And Cook: No End To Sexism?
Chandrakant Patil may have taken it for granted that women have only one job and that is to look after the household.
Chandrakant Patil sexist comment on the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule did not go as smoothly as he thought it would. The President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra Patil, who was leading protests against the state government over the OBC reservation issue told Sule, "If you don't understand politics, go home and cook."
The incident took place yesterday when Supriya Sule was addressing a party meeting on the same issue and talked about the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and how they got relief from the Supreme Court over the OBC reservation. She said, "The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh came to Delhi and met 'someone'...I don't know what suddenly happened over the next two days and they got a go-ahead for OBC reservations..."
Patil was protesting just a short distance away from where Sule was holding the party meeting. In reply to her statement, he said, "Why are you in politics? Go home and cook. You are in politics and you don't understand how to meet a CM? You (also) go to Delhi or go to hell, wherever, but give reservations."
Suggested Reading: Why Do Male Leaders Like Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Still Look Down Upon Women In Politics?
Chandrakant Patil Sexist Comment
The arguments about the reservation have been going on for the last few months in Maharashtra especially after the Supreme Court stayed political reservation for OBCs in local bodies. The BJP blames the state government while they blame the centre for not providing the empirical data.
Banters in politics is a common view but what should not be tolerated is the sheer sexism and misogyny with which the male leaders pride themselves. A simple test to understand if a statement was made politically or based on a person's gender is to ask one question- if it was a male politician on the opposite side, would Patil still ask him to go home and cook?
Patil may have taken it for granted that women have only one job and that is to look after the household. He must have also thought that women can be easily bullied. Well, he is not the only "public representative" who is a man and thinks on a similar track. Sexism and misogyny while attacking an opposition woman leader is quite rampant.
To think of women as a second-class citizen and retain stereotypical ideas despite calling themselves leaders of people, which ideally includes women. It's disheartening to see leaders taking up important positions and holding mics to deliver welfare policies for "all" people, only to open their mouths and be sexist.
No one is saying that debates and disagreements in politics are wrong, it is only healthy till the time one knows the line of unaccepting, problematic behaviour. Even Sule's husband, who generally keeps away from politics, took to social media and pointed out the misogyny in the statement. Sadanand Sule wrote, "I have always maintained that they (BJP) are misogynistic and demean women whenever they can. I am proud of my wife, who is a homemaker, mother and a successful politician, one amongst many other hardworking and talented women in India. This is an insult to all women."
Feature Image Credit: Mumbai Live