BJP short skirt remark sparks anger

Alwar, Rajasthan, Dec 31 (IBNS): A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Banwari Lal Singhal has dragged himself into controversy for his statement that girls should not wear 'skirts' as uniforms in private schools with the National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Mamta Sharma slamming the leader for his remarks.

"It is a weird and sad statement," Sharma told media.

"In case we talk about the dress code several years after Independence, then it is painful. He should understand that in today´s age, why should there be a difference between a boy and a girl?," she said.

"He (BJP MLA) should say that the society should change the mindset," Sharma said.

Former top cop Kiran Bedi said the ´BJP MLA should look within´ and cited his own example as a tennis player.

Singhal wrote to the state´s Chief Secretary where asking him to ban skirts in schools.

Speaking to media, the BJP MLA legislator from Alwar city constituency in Rajasthan said: "I believe that keeping in view of the recent rise in the social crimes against women, private schools should be prohibited from making girls wear skirts. Our children either walk to school or wait for school buses at various points in Alwar. It is during this time when they face lewd comments from mischievous elements."

"I feel the school should have pant-shirts or salwar suits as uniforms for girl students," he said.

Meanwhile, women and school students demonstrated against Singhal outside his residence and also presented him a skirt, media reports said on Monday.

A protester said: "The leader should change his mentality. He should also ask boys to do the same."

Last week, President Pranab Mukherjee´s son Abhijit Mukherjee had sparked off a controversy with his ´sexist´ remarks against women protesting against Delhi rape incident.

The Congress MP told a vernacular channel: "These women who are protesting have no contact with ground reality...I know it well that what kind of character students should have. I can only see many beautiful women among them who are highly dented and painted. They are claiming to be students."

President´s daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee said her brother´s comments were ´shocking´.