Are you a ‘Western’ woman?
Say what now? Me with my Indian passport and brown skin - you think I’m Western? Well, in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, politicians have unearthed till-now-undiscovered depths of idiocy within themselves, and one suspects that those depths may be bottomless indeed. First, Maharashtra (then) Deputy CM RR Patil shot off his mouth about a small incident. Then, Kerala CM Achuthanandan managed to get his hoof-in-his-mouth.
One Congress break-away group, and one Communist down; should the Right be far behind? Not to be outdone, BJP Vice-President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi compared women showing solidarity with the Mumbai victims and protesting against government inefficiency, to terrorists in J&K. He didn’t miss the chance to comment on the (pernicious) effects of Paschami Sabhyata (a.k.a Western Culture) which is what drove these women to wear lipstick and jeans, and oh how dare they, come out of the house they belonged, to the street where they have no place.
Read Reema’s piece on the whole absurd affair, where she questions:
“Mr.Naqvi, kindly clarify first what exactly is the western culture aspect in the protests? Is it the candle lighting or the makeup of women protesters or the act of protest itself?”