TMC slams ‘misogynistic’ Twitter post by Kailash Vijayvargiya

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress on Saturday dubbed a Twitter post by BJP’s Bengal observer Kailash Vijayvargiya on Thursday as misogynistic. The post has a photograph of chief minister Mamata Banerjee cooking at a tribal village off Santiniketan and is captioned that she is doing something that she will be five months later.
A sarcastic Trinamool MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who is a doctor-turned-politician, said: “If you are a woman and you have aspirations to join active politics, remember, our country is plagued with misogynists from BJP like these who plan to send women back to the kitchen.Can’t imagine the lack of respect that women in Kailash Vijayvargiya family must be facing!”
State women and child welfare minister Sashi Panja, also a doctor-turned-politician, said: “BJP shows their true colours again! This is what they think of the only sitting female CM in India. No wonder our women are not safe under their rule! Before your misogyny strikes again, remind yourselves of the chaiwala who’s now your boss!”
Actor-MP Nusrat Jahan was also very vocal against it. “Kailash Vijayvargiya’s comments are outright misogynistic! BJP crossed the mark by insulting every single woman who cooks, provides for families, and has aspirations. Mamata Banerjee is the only female CM in India at present and once again, BJP targets and abuses her,” she said, dubbing it as “shameful”.
Agnimitra Paul, state president, BJP Mahila Morcha, argued: “Crores of women in this country cook food for their family and feed them. How can that be a derogatory thing? Instead it is an honour for a woman who takes care of the entire family? Moreover, who said that cooking is restricted to women only? Men also cook. How can the statement be misogynist? However, we do not expect any respect for women from the TMC. Seems the party has gone into a delirium and lost the basic sense.”
Banerjee, while returning to Kolkata from Bolpur, had stopped for half an hour at Ballavpurdanga village to speak to locals, lend a hand in cooking and listen to their problems. Vijayvargiya had shared a photograph of this visit. The tweet has several thousand retweets and likes.