Honorable MP Murali Mohan, Why Are 4 Year Kids Getting Raped?

A debate in the Lok Sabha on crime against women turned into a lesson on virtues of “dignified” dressing on Thursday, when TDP MP and Actor Murali Mohan asked women to dress ‘properly’ in order to uphold Indian traditions.

During the discussion on rising crimes against women and children, Telugu Desam Party member Murli Mohan Maganti said: “To uphold the tradition of Indian culture, I would earnestly appeal to all my sisters and girls to dress in a dignified manner.” 

“I would appeal to brothers to treat every woman as his own family member,” he said. “This would be a tribute to mother India.”

His comments drew protests from women members, one of whom even asked he should be asked to leave the House, and soon the TDP member retracted his statement.

Taking strong exception to his remarks, several women members including Supriya Sule (NCP) and Kumari Sushmita Dev (Congress) demanded that the remarks be expunged. The BJP benches, though, remained silent spectators with none joining the protests against the Telugu Desam MP’s remarks that came during a discussion on the need for stringent legislation to check increasing atrocities against women and children in the country.

“He (Mohan) should be asked to leave the House…It (remarks) should be expunged,” demanded Dev. Hukum Singh, who was in the chair, tried to pacify the agitated members saying, “I will look into it. It is a very serious matter. I entirely agree with you…It should not have happened…just hold on. The Chair will take the decision”. Later, Murali Mohan’s remarks were expunged from the records.

Later, speaking to the media, Murali Mohan sought to clarify his remarks but then, further revealed his disconnect. “As per our culture, it is better to dress dignifiedly…. stop modern dresses,” he advised women. However, he hastened to add, “If they feel it is bad, I don’t mind to withdraw. If they are disturbed by my statement, I would like to apologise.”

Taking strong exception to his “irresponsible” comments, Congress Rajya Sabha member V Hanumantha Rao wondered if he had no such compunction while acting in films. “If he has so much concern for women, he should have suggested how women should dress in films too,” he said sarcastically.

He demanded that AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu take action against Murali Mohan. Social activists too hit out at the TDP MP. “If what he says is true, why would a four-year old or a six-year-old get raped?,” asked Sunitha Krishnan, social activist and co-founder of Prajwala, an NGO. “It is high time Murali Mohan asked his brothers and fathers to behave and not treat women and children like cattle,” she said. Director of Council for Women, Kalpana Kannibaran, said Lok Sabha is not the place for people like Murali Mohan. “If he chooses to use such street language, clearly he should be removed from the House. Lok Sabha is a place where one discusses Constitution, not how a woman should dress,” she said. Usha Rani, Director of Sannihita, Centre for Women, Girl and Children’s Society, echoed the same views. “Dress code is nowhere related to the abuse of woman. There should be no place for such discussions. What a woman can wear is her own decision. It is men who should be in control,” she said.