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Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha’s initiative to accord dignity to widows by using the term ‘Ganga Bhagirathi’ seems to have backfired, leaving the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena government red-faced. The Opposition Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT), along with women’s organisations, have condemned the proposal to refer to a widow as ‘Ganga Bhagirathi’.
After Lodha’s letter sent to the women and child development department’s principal secretary went viral on social media and evoked sharp reactions, Lodha, a Cabinet minister, said on Thursday that “no final decision was taken on the issue”.
“It was at the consideration stage. I am reassured that no formal decision will be taken without adequate discussion and consultation,” he added. The BJP minister indicated that several proposals in this regard were put up by various organisations which were forwarded to the concerned officials.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested the concept of referring to persons with disabilities as ‘divyang’, which resulted in such people gaining respect in society. After that, society’s outlook towards ‘divyang’ people has drastically changed,” Lodha said in the letter. He urged the department officials to make a detailed proposal for a discussion on the use of the term ‘Ganga Bhagirathi’ for widows on similar lines.
NCP MP Supriya Sule demanded immediate withdrawal of the proposal citing “gender discrimination”. Cautioning the government against taking a hasty decision, she said, “It is a highly sensitive decision. Experts in the field should be consulted.”
A senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity, said, “We agree such issues should have been carefully handled. But then let us also be fair and admit it was still at the discussion stage.”
State Congress president Nana Patole said, “It shows how BJP thinks about women. It is absolutely irresponsible and insensitive.”
Lodha has been no stranger to controversy and has run into trouble in the past over his remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji or ‘love jihad’.
A few months ago, Lodha raked a row by equating Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s historic Agra escape to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s defection from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena camp in Maharashtra. The remark led to a hue and cry with Opposition and various social organisations terming it as an insult to the great warrior king.
During the state budget session in March, Lodha told the Legislative Assembly the state has experienced more than 1 lakh cases of ‘love jihad’. The statement led to an uproar with the Opposition slamming the minister for making what it termed an “unsubstantiated remark”.
NCP MLA Jeetendra Awhad challenged Lodha’s remark demanding the state government substantiate the facts. Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi also demanded Lodha’s resignation for the “irresponsible remark” on love jihad.
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