Haryana govt magazine praises veil, sparks row

Agencies
June 28, 2017

Chandigarh, Jun 28: A photo caption in a Haryana government magazine describing 'ghoonghat' (veil) as the "identity of the State" has sparked a controversy, with the opposition saying it reflected the "regressive" mindset of the BJP government.veil

However, senior Minister Anil Vij dismissed the opposition charge, saying that BJP government had taken a number of steps for women empowerment and was not endorsing that women should be forced to keep a 'ghoongat'.

The recent issue of Krishi Samvad, a supplement of the Haryana Samvad magazine, a monthly magazine published by the State government, carries a photograph of a veiled woman.

The woman's face can be seen covered with a 'ghoongat'. The woman is seen carrying cattle feed on her head, even as the caption reads: "Ghoongat kiaan-baan, mahra Haryana kipechchan (pride of the veil is the identity of my Haryana".

The front cover of the magazine carries the photo of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Reacting sharply to the description, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and senior Congress leader and party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it reflected the regressive attitude of the ruling BJP government.

"This shows regressive mindset of the BJP government. Women from Haryana are ahead in every field. Just three days back, a young woman from the state was crowned as Miss India. Girls from the state have made a mark in sports arena and other fields. India-born US astronaut late Kalpana Chawla hailed from Haryana," Hooda said.

Recently, Haryana girl Manushi Chhillar was crowned Femina Miss India 2017.

"Women wearing veil was not the original culture of Haryana. This practice started only after foreign invasions and because of the fear of invaders. In south India, there was no 'purdah' system. Therefore, what I want to say is that BJP government wants to move back in time rather than thinking ahead and taking the state forward," he said.

Surjewala said it was a "regressive mindset and objectification of women, which is part of the DNA of the BJP".

"The BJP government has failed to realise that Haryana girls and women have excelled in fields such as space science, sports and the armed forces to name just a few," Surjewala said.

Dismissing the opposition criticism, Vij told PTI over phone, "What you are seeing in a government magazine should only be seen as what was Haryana's tradition. Nowhere are we saying that we want to force veil on women. We are in favour of women empowerment and we have done a lot in this regard".

He said the sex ratio has improved from 862 to 950 as a result of the steps taken by the state government.

"We are committed to women's education and have decided to open colleges for women after every 20 km. As regards the photo in the magazine, this has been the tradition in some parts of the state, but it is not binding.

"We are not forcing anyone to wear ghoongat. It is not like burqa and only those women who want to do ghoongat, it is as per their wish," Vij said.

Comments

Fairman
 - 
Wednesday, 28 Jun 2017

It seems that the BJP in Haryana seems to be protecting of women.

Why the goongat or veil is required. Just to segregate from male intervention. When there is no gender segregation, people take it for granted. They take easy in molester of ladies.
People commit these sins or crime whenever there is easy access for it.
Better prevent from beginning. It is not against empowerment of sign of uncivilization of women.

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 9,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 9: Some BJP workers created a ruckus on Wednesday at a college here while seeking support for the amended Citizenship Act by raising slogans like 'Go back to Pakistan' outside the campus on Wednesday, as girl students opposed a pro-CAA banner on the wall of their institution.

A video of the incident went viral on social media.

A group of BJP workers, supporters of local party leader M M Govindaraj, had put up a poster "India Supports CAA" on the wall of Jyothi Nivas College near Koramangala.

This was opposed by girl students, who said they would not allow any such poster to be put up on the college property.

The BJP workers then tried to shout down the students.

"You are not concerned about citizenship, you are concerned about yourself. You should be concerned about India first. You are not an Indian then," a BJP worker is heard screaming at the girls in the video.

They also questioned the students if they had valid reasons to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act and sought to know whether they wanted an argument or a debate.

The BJP workers purportedly told the girls that they were only the students of the college and not the owner.

"What's your problem madam with the CAA? Are you the owner of the college?" they asked.

Amid the heated argument, the BJP workers resorted to sloganeering like 'We want CAA' and "Go back to Pakistan', as seen in another video shot by the students.

BTM Layout Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy visited the college on Thursday after learning about the incident and spoke to its management.

Later, he told reporters that the campus should not be allowed for any political activities.

"Any signature campaign whether in favor or against it (CAA) should be done outside the campus," Reddy said.

He cautioned the pro-CAA protesters he will not let any violent incidents like the one at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi happen at the city college.

Reddy's daughter Sowmya Reddy, who is the Jayanagar MLA, tweeted, "A few videos & photos of outside #JyotiNivascollege are being circulated on social media."

"MLA Ramalinga Reddy & I have spoken to cops and the Prinicipal about this incident. Spoke to DCP South East Bengaluru and she said that Koramangala cops went there immediately & they are picketing even now," she added.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
February 1,2020

Mangaluru, Feb 2: A video of a woman rescuing a dog from a well in Mangaluru has gone viral on social media. The dog fell inside the well accidentally and the woman rushed to the spot to rescue it. The two minute seven second video has been shared on Twitter by a user, Mauna, and has ever since been viewed over 15,000 times.

The woman climbed down the well as other people attached a rope to her body during the rescue mission. Another rope was then thrown to her and she tied it around the dog after which it was pulled outside. The woman, thereafter, climbed outside the well with much difficulty.

"Bless the lady who saved the Dog," the user captioned the post.

Watch the video here:

 

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
February 12,2020

New Delhi, Feb 12: Buoyed by the Aam Aadmi Party's stellar performance in the Delhi Assembly elections, the Maharashtra unit of the party has decided to fight all forthcoming local elections, including the Mumbai elections.

The AAP’s Bengaluru unit will also contest the municipal corporation polls likely to take place in August or September.

AAP National Executive Member Preeti Sharma Menon said the party will try to “replicate the Delhi model of pragmatism, performance, and people centric policies”.

“We are sure that Maharashtra will shower us with the same faith and love as Delhi has done so,” she said.

The party has decided to field candidates in all the 198 wards of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

"We have been planning to contest the BBMP election when we received a major shot in the arm. The Delhi victory happened because of the good work, which we want to replicate here," AAP's co-convener in Karnataka and party's BBMP campaign in charge Shanthala Damle told PTI on Tuesday.

Born out of an anti-corruption movement, the AAP led by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal registered the second landslide victory by winning 63 out of 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections.

According to Damle, AAP in Bengaluru was working in full swing to make its presence felt in the city. "The party has already done its ground workin terms of election campaign and reaching out to the people in Bengaluru," she added.

According to her, the party has already opened around 10 offices and about 50 people have been announced as the assembly president or ward president.

Last month, the party launched a 40-minute movie called 'Hosa Bengaluru' (New Bengaluru) and conducted 50 shows already.

"It shows the Delhi model and explains what can be done in Bengaluru. So that is part of our vision," the AAP leader said.

In its next level of the campaign, AAP intends to conduct 'Jana Samvada' (Dialogue with people) in every street and in every ward.

The preparedness of the party can be gauged from the fact that it has identified many of its candidates for the BBMP elections.

The party has never tasted success in Karnataka anywhere but the Delhi's success story has kindled a new hope as many people would now be waiting to join the AAP, Damle said. The AAP cadres in Bengaluru burst into celebration soon after it became clear that the party was going to script history by forming government for the third consecutive time since its inception.

Sporting their signature caps, party workers lit crackers, danced on the Delhi election song 'Lage Raho Kejriwal'.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.