Sambhaji Bhide Refuses To Give Female Journalist A Byte Because She Did Not Wear A Bindi. What Is This Sexist Demand?
Men telling women what to wear and how to dress is nothing new. And if you think that this was something that used to happen in the past, I’d suggest you think about it once again. In fact, let me just present you with one of the most recent instances where a man in power told a woman what she should wear. Yes, I’m talking about the Right-wing leader Sambhaji Bhide who told a woman journalist to wear a “bindi” before she came to take his byte. Sambhaji Bhide also went on to say that a woman is like “Bharat Mata” and that the woman who doesn’t apply bindi is like a widow. And the man who tells a woman what to do is sexist and misogynistic.
On Wednesday, Sambhaji Bhide’s meeting with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde became the talk of the town when a video of Sambhaji Bhide went viral on social media. In the video, he is seen telling a woman journalist to wear a “bindi” and refusing to give her a byte until she did so.
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In the video, Sambhaji Bhide went to tell the woman journalist that she needs to apply ‘bindi’ to her forehead before she comes to take his byte. He then went ahead and not just refused to speak to her, but also commented that a woman is like “Bharat Mata” and “she should not be like a widow by not applying bindi”.
His controversial and sexist statement did not go unnoticed. Maharashtra State Women’s Commission president Rupali Chakankar sent a notice to Sambhaji Bhide where she demanded an explanation for the “bindi” comment he made. As per reports, Rupali Chakankar wrote in the notice, “You refused to talk to a woman journalist because she had no bindi on her forehead. A woman is known by the quality of her work. Your statement is demeaning to a woman’s pride and her social stature.”
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In the notice sent to Sambhaji Bhide, Maharashtra State Women’s Commission president Rupali Chakankar also points out that under sections 12(2) and 12(3) of the Women’s Commission Act 1993, he is supposed to explain why he did not speak to woman journalist for not wearing a bindi.
Even the woman journalist on whom Sambhaji Bhide made this comment, took to Twitter and spoke about how it is her choice to whether apply the bindi or not. She said that just because we live in a democratic country and he is an old person, it doesn’t mean he is qualified to tell her or anyone what they should and should not wear.
And I agree with her! Just because you are a man (yes, period) you are not qualified to tell a woman how she should dress or what she should and should not wear. You are most definitely entitled to your opinion and your way of thinking but you cannot force it on someone. It is a woman’s choice and her right to wear what she wants to, live how she wants to, and do what she wants to. And this is not up for debate!
