In a controversial statement on Thursday, Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya stated that he “does not like women or girls who wear revealing clothes, to the point where I refuse to take photos with them.”
Additionally, he mentioned a Western proverb that he claimed he does not adhere to, which contrasted women’s wardrobe choices with brevity of speech. A video of Vijayvargiya’s comments about women’s attire was making the rounds on social media.
During a Thursday event, Vijayvargiya stated that he viewed women as a “form of goddess.” “If a girl here [in India] wears good and pretty clothes, does good makeup and wears nice jewellery, then people consider her very beautiful. But abroad, if a (woman) wears less clothing, then it is considered good. Now, this is their (foreigners’) thinking,” maintained Vijayvargiya.
Additionally, he referred to a foreign proverb that contrasts leaders’ brief talks with women’s short attire as indecent. “Look, there is a western saying which is not good, but this saying is discussed a lot in foreign countries… It is said there (abroad) that just as a girl wearing less clothing is beautiful, similarly a leader giving a short speech is also very good. There is such a saying in foreign countries, but I do not follow it,” said the Madhya Pradesh BJP minister.
The cabinet minister claimed that he did not think this foreign statement is acceptable amid the audience’s laughing and applause. “I don’t adhere to this proverb. In my opinion, women are considered goddesses in our nation, India. “They ought to dress very nicely,” he advised the assembly.
He added, “I view women as goddesses, and they should wear good clothes. I don’t like women or girls who wear revealing clothes (mereko to kam kapde wali ladki achi nahi lagti).” “When girls come to take selfies with me, I tell them they should come by wearing good clothes and then get a selfie clicked with me. I refuse to take photos with them,” he further said.
Vijayvargiya received a lot of backlash on social media for his remarks regarding women’s and girls’ attire. Madhya Pradesh Women’s Congress president Vibha Patel said, “Kailash Vijayvargiya finds himself secluded in his party and that is why he gives such statements to attract attention of everyone. I would like to tell the BJP leadership that they should warn Kailash Vijayvargiya. It has become his habit comment on clothes of women, girls. You can not come in limelight by commenting on clothes of women, you should change your behaviour.”
Kailash Vijayvargiya was accused by the Trinamool Congress of uttering “misogynistic, chauvinistic, and patriarchal statements” on multiple occasions. According to the party, Vijayvargiya is unaffected. “We demand answers from PM @narendramodi: Do you support his views? Is disparaging women now an unofficial policy of your party? Take IMMEDIATE ACTION and demand his RESIGNATION. Anything less will be seen as active endorsement!,” the TMC posted on X.
