BJP MLA Pannalal has an interesting solution the problem of crimes against women in India, don’t have boyfriends. He attributed the growing crime rate to girls having boyfriends, if only it were that easy or true for that matter.
He asked, “Why do girls have boyfriends? If they stop doing this, the atrocities against them will stop.” He raised the point at an event at Guna Government College. But this was a two-way suggestion, he said even boys should not take to the ‘western culture of making girlfriends’.
It’s not just girlfriends and boyfriends, he said celebrating International Women’s day is a foreign tradition. According to him, Indians celebrate Women’s Day four times annually. This is not the first time Shakya made a controversial comment, he had previously questioned Virat Kohli’s patriotism because he married Anushka Sharma in Italy last year.
The whole point he was trying to make was that western culture is the root cause of all problems. Madhya Pradesh in 2016 recorded 8,000 cases of sexual harassment according to the National Crime Records Bureau. This is the third highest number of cases recorded in a state in the country for that year. Congress members didn’t take well to these statements. If politicians make such statements it should be based on evidence of some sort. Instead of explaining why having a girlfriend or boyfriend is linked to sexual harassment he just declared it as wrong.
One can’t just say something for the sake of commenting. If incorrect perceptions become the basis of popular opinion it can ruin many youngsters lives. The problem lies somewhere in the mentality of the people and a very strong patriarchal set up that is being promoted. The solution is to change that, it’s to educate and make responsible citizens out of girls and boys, not to stop them from making their own decisions.