Ever-ready to oblige journalists with bytes and statements, Union Minister Farooq Abdullah would never have imagined that his casual, though ‘sexist’, remark would create such a hullabaloo — one that would see even his own son joining the chorus demanding an apology from him.
Within hours, the New and Renewable Energy Minister had to apologise: “If I have hurt sentiments then I am sorry for that, I never meant it that way. There should not be any gender bias. I am sorry.” In the backdrop of back-to-back sexual harassment allegations against the likes of Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal and former Supreme Court judge AK Ganguly, reporters approached the senior Abdullah on Friday for his take on the issue.
“These days the situation is such that one is scared of talking to girls. We feel that a lady should not be hired as a secretary. God forbidding, if there is some complaint we may land in jail,” Abdullah said outside Parliament House.
Asked whether he was blaming the fair sex, he said: “No, no, I am not blaming the girl. I am blaming society itself. The society has reached a stage where complaints are coming from the other side. Rapes should not take place. The number of girls has gone down. When a child is born we pray for a son. When a girl is born we cry,” said the National Conference leader.
It might have been “light-hearted banter” for him, but the media and social media lost no time in going viral against the senior Cabinet member’s remarks. Political parties, cutting across party lines and above all, his Chief Minister son Omar Abdullah, too disapproved of the statement made within the precincts of Parliament in full media glare.
Omar tweeted he hoped his father would apologise for his “misplaced attempt at humour”. “I’m sure the attempt wasn’t to trivialise the important issue of women’s security so I hope dad apologises for the misplaced attempt at humour,” Omar posted on the social networking site. Abdullah later stated “people are misunderstanding things and they are misquoting things in many ways”.
Women leaders, some from within the Government itself, criticised Abdullah for his statement. “In our Constitution, both the genders have equal rights, but so far, women have been living in fear. If someone thinks so, that mindset should be changed,” Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath told reporters outside Parliament
BJP leader Smriti Irani expressed surprise over Abdullah’s remarks and said it was “inappropriate” for a senior Minister to make a statement that indicates that “women can be hired and called upon favorably and they can be demeaned at the workplace.” CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said it was “irresponsible for such a senior Minister to say such a thing when the country is shocked that men in higher office use their offices to make unwelcome sexual advances.”
She further said that Abdullah’s statement implies women should not make complaints against sexual harassment and if they do, they will be unemployable. “I am happy that such people are now feeling scared: “ Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal said.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien, who has asked the former SC judge to step down from his post of Chairman at WB Human Rights Commission, expressed shock over the remarks. “He is a senior public figure. He is the father of a daughter. It was quite unexpected Dr Abdullah has said this,” he said.
Former top cop Kiran Bedi tweeted: When men say they are afraid of hiring or talking to women as Farooq Abdullah did; they are visibly a victim of their own insecurity!