Bengaluru: Prominent spiritual leader Sadhguru has expressed strong concern about the declining quality of political discourse concerning women in the lead-up to the Lok Sabha election.
Sadhguru expressed dismay at the derogatory language being used against women in recent political discussions. He brought to light instances such as references to a "rate card" for women, derogatory remarks about a 75-year-old woman, and questioning the parentage of a 60-year-old politician.
Regardless of political affiliation, he emphasised the need to reject such discourse and called for a shift in the narrative surrounding women.
"In the last two weeks, I am hearing the type of words that people are using for women. Somebody is talking about “rate card” and someone else is saying disgusting things about a 75-year-old lady. Someone else is talking about the parentage of over a 60-year-old politician. It doesn’t matter which party you belong to, please block out these people. We MUST change the narrative about women," he wrote on X.
Sadhguru's remarks were specifically directed at the comments made against prominent political figures, including BJP candidates Kangana Ranaut and Hema Malini, as well as Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The Congress party faced criticism from the BJP following remarks made by party leader Randeep Surjewala regarding Hema Malini.
This criticism occurred shortly after another Congress leader, Supriya Srinate, became involved in a similar controversy due to a social media post targeting BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut.
In response to a video posted by BJP leader Amit Malviya, Congress MP Randeep Surjewala was accused of making lewd remarks against Hema Malini, prompting criticism from the BJP.
Surjewala contested the authenticity of the video, claiming it was edited and distorted, while Hema Malini stated that opposition criticism was expected and that a suitable response had been given.
Another incident involved Congress candidate Supriya Shrinate, who faced backlash for a derogatory social media post aimed at BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut. Despite Shrinate's explanation that the post was made by someone else with access to her account, the controversy led to her replacement as a candidate.
Additionally, a video clip emerged of senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh mocking the family background of Mamata Banerjee, drawing condemnation from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and a subsequent show cause notice from the BJP and Election Commission (EC).
Amidst these political tensions, Sadhguru's recent health crisis, undergoing emergency brain surgery, adds a somber note to the discourse, reminding of the fragility of life and the need for compassion and civility in public dialogue.
