New Haryana govt must wake up on verbal assaults on women freedom

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) strongly condemns the sudden spurt in retrograde statements against women in Haryana by religious groups and Khaps, particularly since the BJP has won a majority in the state.

The AAP demands that the Haryana government should immediately ban the meeting of Hindu Mahasabha to be held on Sunday, in which it wants to declare a dress code for women and a ban on their carrying mobile phones.

It is shocking that the new BJP state government of Haryana is allowing such elements to give statements openly, which are in clear violation of law and breach all norms of the society.

Infact, the first shock had come in the form of views expressed by none other than the new chief minister of the state, Mr Manohar Lal Khattar during the election campaign itself, though he has desisted from speaking on the subject since he was sworn-in on Sunday.

Mr Khattar, in an interview during elections had advised girls to dress decently and their freedom must be bound by some limits. He had gone on to praise the khaps for promoting Indian culture.

Though he has not repeated these views again, but the ministers of his cabinet appear to have emboldened organizations like Hindu Mahasabha to spread regressive views in the society.

Haryana agriculture minister OP Dhankar, who is no stranger to controversies, is on a Khaps promoting spree and his utterances seem to be encouraging organizations which pose a danger to the society.

It is beyond any reasonable understanding that organizations like Hindu Mahasabha are advocating that women dress and behave in ways being ordered by them. It is trying to portray women as mere objects and the attempt is to find faults with the victims of sexual harassment while they excuse the predator and sexual harasser.

The AAP is of the view that such talk and diktats against women are a deliberate attempt to push back the efforts for women equality. It is an attempt to restrict women to private spaces and continue their exploitation. Such diktats justify the use of force and violence against women and need to be strongly resisted. (ENDS)