Tuesday, September 06, 2016



Good advice about women criticized

Indian ladies normally wear their Saris at ankle length so brief Western clothing looks like a sexual invitation to Indian men

After drawing widespread criticism, India's tourism and culture minister has backtracked after suggesting that female foreign tourists should not wear skirts in the country.

Talking to journalists in the north Indian city of Agra on Sunday, Mahesh Sharma said tourists would be handed a "a list of do's and don'ts" at airports that would advise them "not to wear skirts" or "venture out alone at night in small cities".

"For their own safety, women foreign tourists should not wear short dresses and skirts," he said. "Indian culture is different from the western."

Sharma, whose comments came under fire in India and abroad, clarified on Monday that he was referring only to religious places, and that he "spoke out of concern".

Indian minister advises tourists to 'not wear skirts': After heavy criticism, tourism minister backtracks on earlier remarks, saying he was referring only to religious sites. © Provided by Al Jazeera After heavy criticism, tourism minister backtracks on earlier remarks, saying he was referring only to religious sites. "I was speaking about religious places, like temples. I did not comment on what women should wear or not. I am the father of two daughters, I cannot put a ban on what women wear," Sharma said.

"Such a ban is unimaginable, but it is not a crime to be cautious," he added.  "Different countries issue advisories from time to time, but I never said change anyone's way of dressing."

Despite the minister's rebuttal, many Indians criticised him online.

"Mahesh Sharma go home & make a sandwich. Don't dictate terms to women under garb of Indian culture," one Twitter user using the screen name "SheSays" tweeted.

  "How are you less than a Taliban? They also want to control what to wear, what to eat? " Rajesh Sharma, from the opposition Aam Aadmi Party, asked.

SOURCE

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Apparently, in some parts of the World, some males feel free to assault any female in a normal dress.

Spurwing Plover the fighting shorebird said...

Anon 2:04 You mean like what the so called refugees are doing in germany?

stinky said...


If there are snakes in the grass, please tell me. I would rather that there weren't any, but if there are, better I know the truth about them.

Olaf Koenders said...

It pays to be careful when in another country. Something as simple as eating in public during Ramadan can be dangerous.

Here in Oz, we have S. 116 of the Commonwealth Constitution which provides for free and unencumbered religious practice. Not all countries see it that way.

Anonymous said...

Olaf, you are forgetting s.18c which will land any white Christian or atheist Australian in court if he was to criticise such comments made by indigenous/Muslim/Jewish/Hindi/(add grievance group her)etc.
Just look at the current case in the courts of three students from QUT being prosecuted on a complaint from and indigenous worker at the university because she was offended by a comment on Facebook by one of the students that you don't fight segregation with segregation. Just as you don't fight discrimination with more discrimination by creating quota for minorities.

If you believe we have free speech then think again.

Olaf Koenders said...

I know Anon, it's not a pretty sight thanks to 18c. I didn't forget about it, it's just that the Constitution overrides all other Acts to the level of the inconsistency (S. 109 Constitution).

However, I was basing my comment on Ramadan - a religious concept rather than one regarding free speech. The article essentially hinges on both.

I believe the BookFace quote was quite valid and that 18c should be repealed because it's far too easy for anyone to be offended under 18c's wording to take advantage of it.