An interaction session between Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan and college students during Women’s Day celebrations in Chennai, raised sceptical eyebrows, after the girls were advised to choose education over attire. “Do we think getting educated is our right or do we think wearing dresses we like is our right?”, asked Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan during the event organised by the Press Information Bureau and Regional Outreach Bureau at Chennai on Friday, March 11, in which college students had participated.
Fielding a question from a student regarding family pressure about choice of dress, the Governor asked, “They provide you education, right? Do you want to wear modern dresses? Normally girls believe that wearing preferred dresses is progress. The problem is in what we consider as women’s rights. Do we think getting educated is our right or do we think wearing dresses we like is our right? There is a difference”, she said.
Furthermore, Tamilisai contended that while there was nothing wrong with wearing one’s choice of dress, that choice was restricted to the ambit of protecting our culture and progress and ‘not cause problems to others.’
Drawing a bizarre analogy, she equated choosing attire to the wearing of coats by doctors and PPE kits, saying it was advisable to wear it to prevent infection as well prevent distracting the patients. “Why did people wear PPE kits during the pandemic? To prevent viral infection. Can we say I can get a viral infection because it is my right?” Some looks might infect, damage and destroy me. So it is better to be safe.”
When another girl student asked about abuses faced in public transport, Tamilisai comfortably retreated behind the oft-used cliche saying that “I am not interfering in your rights. But there is a chance that one might think that they can disturb us if we wear attractive or glamorous clothes. But that doesn’t mean I say it is right to do so. I am telling this as a doctor, it is a psychological behaviour. Take a girl who dresses well and a girl who wears ultra-modern dresses. There is a chance one might try to disturb the latter. Please do not mistake me, this is a natural thought. Is it right or wrong is another thing”, she said. She further supported her own misguided assertion, questioning, “Are boys abused? Do boys ask this question? So the problem is with men.”
Tamilisai urged the students to face dire situations bravely and use the helpline that can be contacted in cases of such abuses and requested the students not to think of suicide as a solution. She also says that the helplines protect the identity of those in need, “If you are scared to talk to anybody, contact me or others, so we can help. Never compromise on happiness. I am also thinking about how we can systematically help such women”, she said. Tamilisai finally did have some advice for men too, saying they should learn to treat women respectfully and express their desire, if any, in a respectful manner.