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A day after being shamed by women from across India for his misogynistic remarks about women who wear ‘ripped jeans’, Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat says he sticks to his stand. He also said, ‘Mujhe Jeans Se Nahi, Fati Jeans Se Hai Aitraaz ( I do not object to jeans, I only object to ripped jeans)’.
Rawat’s bizarre obsession with women’s clothing comes, in his own words because he claims, “I have come from a normal rural family and our schools followed a certain discipline and dress code,” reported Outlook. However Tirath Singh Rawat’s who is the newly appointed Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, may have successfully distracted those on social media for a while as his ripped jeans remark created an online furore. Rawat had in his original talk, recounted a tale of when he supposedly sat next to a woman on a flight, then as his gaze traveled up her leg, he realised she was wearing ‘ripped’ jeans. He added that the ‘woman’ ran an NGO, and that her husband was teaching at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and that she had two children. It is not known if any such woman has come forth and identified herself, or asked why Rawat was scanning her this way on a flight.
However, the clip was enough to get him a lot of attention online, so much so that he once again ‘clarified’ that he was not against women wearing jeans, but he had a problem with ripped and torn ones. Not that anyone has asked him for such a clarification. Rawat nevertheless has reportedly told Aaj Tak in an interview that his views come from his young days and his own experience with ‘torn pants’. He was quoted as saying, “I have come from a normal rural family and our schools followed a certain discipline and dress code. Whenever our pants got ripped while going to school, we used to fear how we would face our Guru ji and used to cover the torn part. Nowadays when children buy jeans worth Rs 2,000-4,000, he first sees whether the jeans are ripped. If it isn’t, he goes home and runs scissors on it. So what bad did I say.”
Rawat’s wife Rashmi Tyagi has also defended him and has reportedly said that his comment was taken out of context. According to outlook, Rashmi Tyagi said that her husband Tirath Singh Rawat had said, “Women’s participation is unprecedented in building the society and the country. It is the responsibility of the women of our country to save our cultural heritage, save our identity, save our costumes.” He was in fact speaking at a workshop organised by the Uttarakhand State Commission for Protection of Child Rights in Dehradun on Tuesday when he made the controversial comment about women’s clothes and so called ‘sansakars’.
As women from across professions, and age groups trended hashtags such as #RippedJeansTwitter #GirlsWhoWearRippedJeans and #GreetingsFromMyNakedKnee on social media throughout Wednesday and Thursday. Women shared photos of themselves in ripped jeans, as well as photos of male political leaders wearing shorts, like those of the RSS, and showing their knees. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shared images of BJP leaders in RSS shorts
Oh my God!!! Their knees are showing ??? #RippedJeansTwitter pic.twitter.com/wWqDuccZkq
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) March 18, 2021
Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi also slammed Rawat asking him to change his mindset
Ripped Jeans aur Kitab.
The country’s ‘sanskriti’ & ‘sanskaar’ are impacted by men who sit and judge women and their choices. Soch badlo Mukhyamantri Rawat ji, tabhi desh badlega. #RippedJeansTwitter pic.twitter.com/qYXcN88fY6— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) March 18, 2021
However, Tirath Singh Rawat by starting this controversy, has perhaps deflected attention on some of his decisions as newly appointed CM Uttarakhand, such as the relaxation Covid-19 restrictions in the state. Rawat has said that the pilgrims visiting the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar do not have to carry Covid-19 negative RT-PCR reports. Rawat also said, he “asked the secretary to respect akharas, shower flowers on them by helicopters, but also let the public come.”
Rawat faced protests in his own state
People protested the CM’s comments in his home state on Thursday. According to a report in the Times of India, the protests were led by the Congress, and the CM’s remarks were condemned. According to vertan leaders and former CM Harish Rawat, “Such a statement coming from a politician, let alone a chief minister, was a shameful act. Women in Uttarakhand have been at the forefront of all sorts of campaigns. Rather than focusing on what they choose to wear, the chief minister should focus on development. Tirath Rawat has been made the chief minister to cover up his predecessor’s failure. The replacement itself was enough to show that the BJP had admitted to its mistake. Rather than making unwarranted comments, the chief minister should focus on the responsibility he has been entrusted with.”
In Almora, a group of around 20 women, led by Mahila Congress district president Lata Tiwari, raised slogans against the CM, burnt his effigy and demanded his resignation, reported TOI. “The chief minister’s views on what is appropriate for them to wear clearly shows his mindset. It’s ironic that the remark came from the chief minister of a state ruled by BJP, a party that goes by the slogan “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao”. We demand that the CM issue an apology and resign from his post immediately,” said Tiwari
Tilak Girls Hostel of Lucknow University also has a list of clothes ‘not allowed’
Luckily for him, CM Uttarakhand Tirath Singh Rawat may be able to seek some offline support from Uttar Pradesh. A notice issued in the name of the Provost of Tilak Girls Hostel of Lucknow University has told women students “not to wear shorts, dresses above the knees, mini skirts, micro skirts out of the room in the hostel premises.” The students have also been asked not to wear spaghetti or “vulgar” tops reported Amar Ujala. Those caught violating this order “will be fined Rs 100.”
The notice was reportedly issued on March 17, and posted on social media the next day morning. After some time, on behalf of the students, it was shared on whatsapp groups and accused the girl students of imposing unnecessary restrictions on the university and collecting the fine. It was said that fines are being taken from the girl students also in the name of guest charge. Fines are being imposed for a short stay in the hostel. This notice soon went viral on social media. However, the officials have denied issuing it.
लखनऊ- छात्राओं के कपड़े पर लखनऊ विश्वविद्यालय प्रशासन का फरमान, तिलक महिला छात्रावास में घुटनों से ऊपर कपड़े पहनने पर लगेगा जुर्माना, शॉट्स, मिनीस्कर्ट, माइक्रो स्कर्ट पहनने पर जुर्माना, वल्गर ड्रेस पर पाबंदी।#LucknowUniversity pic.twitter.com/bwFyK2ODdQ
— News18 Uttar Pradesh (@News18UP) March 18, 2021
The All India Students Association (AISA) unit in the university has written to the authorities to “immediately intervene in the matter”, adding that the “provost is continuously intimidating women hostelers who raised their concern over notice for moral policing.”
AISA-LUCKNOW UNIVERSITY’S Email to LU VC, PROCTOR, and DSW to immediately intervene in the matter concerning Tilak girls hostel where provost is continuously intimidating women hostelers who raised their concern over notice for moral policing. #LucknowUniversity pic.twitter.com/ieemxmCDYr
— AISA Lucknow University (@aisa_lkouniv) March 18, 2021
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