BJP Minister Calls Women Surpanakha Over Clothing: Why Men Are Obsessed With Dressing Choices?

BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya recently called women wearing vulgar clothes as Surpanakha, Ravana's sister from Ramayana who tried to seduce Lord Rama. This comment was made in a public event organised in view of Maharvir Jayanti. The comment sparked controversy and made us question, why are women's clothes always a measure of decency and character?

There have been many times that leading male politicians have decided to misuse their voice to berate and make objectionable comments on women. Such comments have been made by leading senior politicians who don't realise that they are given the public platform to promote development and not patriarchy. Recently, yet another leading politician decided to speak on women's clothes at an event that was supposed to be a religious gathering.

BJP's Kailash Vijayvargiya called women who wear vulgar clothes Surpanakha. Now if you don't know, Surpanakha was the demoness from Ramayana who tried to seduce Lord Rama despite knowing that he was married. This comment was completely unnecessary not only because of the nature of the event but also because of the authority of the person.

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Kailash Vijayvargiya On Women's Clothes

No matter how senior a politician is, their aim should be to provide social upliftment. They should work on educational, infrastructural and health development and promote progressive ideas among their followers. The concept of freedom of choice and expression for women and the importance of consent and authority is still not popular in the country and that's what politicians should aim at. However, politicians like Kailash Vijayvargiya decide to berate and judge women for their choices and freedom. They forget that they inspire a lot of people, they have followers who will blindly believe what they say and yet they decide to promote such regressive and patriarchal ideas about women on public platforms.

If Kailash Vijayvargiya is so concerned about women wearing vulgar clothes then he must be equally worried about men walking in public in just their undergarments. The traditional baniyan look of middle aged men also deserved a mention in his comment on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti. In fact, men wearing shorts and removing their shirts in public is also not decent and should be corrected as well. What would Kailash Vijayvargiya call such men wearing vulgar clothes in public? Alas, such men were not mentioned in his comments as it was exclusively for women, a misogynistic approach to social norms. But the real question is do women care what people think about their clothing choices?

For centuries, women have been judged and criticised for wearing revealing and shorts clothes as they distract men but men have never been questioned about their uncontrollable lust. Every body part of women has been overly sexualised to the point that even ankles have become a turn on for men. For years women obeyed these sexist rules, then for years they rebelled against them, for years they struggled to wear whatever they want without being harassed or judged or called characterless.

However, now women don't care. You can judge all you want, you can talk all you want, women are not going to stop wearing the clothes they want just because you don't approve of it. They don't need society's approval on their clothing choices. Though such ideas are still a major concern when we talk about a progressive society, there has been so much debate around it that it seems exhausting now.

Now it seems better to just not pay attention to such comments and keep doing what we like. However, men still need to be taught that a woman's clothes are not a reflection of her character and she is not wearing them for their attention. Their clothes are not an invitation and does not mean she is asking for it. Their clothes should not be a reason for you to lose control of your lust. Their clothes don't mean they are giving their consent. It is just clothes and she is not wearing it for you. She is wearing that dress because she bought it one sale and felt good in it. That's it.