In April 2011, when former Arambag CPM MP Anil Basu had compared Mamata Banerjee to a Sonagachi sex-worker, he was accused of displaying misogynist contempt.
Left leader Subhas Chakraborty had also ridiculed Mamata's MaaMati-Manush slogan saying: “She is an infertile woman; what does she know about Maa?
“Anil Biswas had dubbed Mamata “jomero aruchi". Political rhetoric hasn't changed much for many politicians.
Unperturbed by the criticism he received on his comments on Jadavpur University girls, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh stuck to his stand and said, “Jekhane chatrora mohila der antorbas pore protibadh kore, meyera sanitary napkin dekhiye rastae name, prokassho chumban kore, shekhane salinanata bole aache ta ki ?
Ghosh asked reporters there : A place were students wear women's undergarments to protest, girls show sanitary napkins to protest on streets, kiss in public, is there any decency there?" “I have been very clear in what I said. People know what they (few of those students) are, and they should have been taught by the teachers that this is not Bangali culture" Ghosh said, referring to these universities as communist fiefdoms.
“We have been battling them in JU, JNU and Hyderabad University . Their fiefdom is being threatened by us so they are worried. I am being blamed for using indecent language. My choice of language has been apt to define what happens there. What's wrong in it ?
The academics and intelligentsia who have spoken out should first say whether they approve of such deeds. Is this Bengali culture? Which parents would want their daughter to kiss in public? My statements reflect that pain.“
“This can't go on,“ he said, adding: “I am being branded a sexist. But if a man flaunts a women's undergarment in public, is he more gender sensitive? They are stooping to new lows... people will not accept this. I dare them to inspect the (JU) hostels and see for themselves whether it is a cradle to create a good lndian citizen.They are resorting to tricks to hide facts.We don't have to learn from communists."
Even as his party colleagues continued to distance themselves from his statements -the BJP central leadership informed Ghosh that his language was “unacceptable“ -the 52-year-old reiterated his comments.“He may have tried to raise a genuine issue but should have chosen his words carefully . It has been communicated to him,“ said a senior leader.
Former JU professor and author Navaneeta Dev Sen explains that such an attitude has always been prevalent among members of CPM, Trinamool and BJP . “Humiliation of women has become a tradition in the party in power. Now parties not in power are also doing it,“ she says.
Actor and BJP's Mayureswar candidate Locket Chatterjee spoke out against Ghosh. “Even if I am to accept that Dilip-da knows more about Jadavpur than I do, I don't support what he said,“ said Chatterjee.
Trinamool leader Bratya Basu recalls how Anil Basu had made derogatory remarks against Mamata Banerjee. “I condemned Rezzak Mollah's remarks and I condemn Dilip Ghosh's too. Patriarchy is responsible for this attitude,“ Basu says.
India Honest raises a serious question for introspection : Why the intelligentsia working hard to stop a reforming guardian when they failed to change the Feminist political Rhetoric, that has an ugly Tradition in Bangla ?
India Honest thinks that Dilip Ghosh has something in his mind as a responsible "Guardian" when he blasted with those comments.It was not part of electoral politics but it was pain of fellow parent and that made him utter those harsh words while the meaning and intentions were honest. He intended to push those few indecent students hard to make them realize, where they stand in society. Yes the pain of a guardian of society was more reflective within the political leader, and that has forced him deliver the crude truth with some critical wordings, which any parental figure can always say, when in pain.
Even part of the biased media twisted those words by changing the sequences that were actually said.A reforming guardian need our extra support We need to understand what he is doing, yes stand with a guardian (Dilip Ghosh) , who is angered on his children and rebuking them , as he wants to reform them to return to nationalistic and cultural mainstream. To create future of students is much bigger goal of a leader than the selfish politics of using them in making false complain of molestation, let few of the politician learn that.