After Manohar Parrikar's 'Beer' Comment, Twitter Froths Up With Fury

New Delhi: What Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar meant when he told a gathering on Friday evening that he was afraid "because even girls have started drinking beer" may still be up for debate but the backlash on social media has been decisive and unsparing. #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer was a top trend on Twitter for hours on Saturday, as women from across India and beyond tweeted photos of them enjoying a beer, some tagging the former Defence Minister.

Several users objected to Mr Parrikar's apparent suggestion that drinking beer would be a cause for concern only if it was women who were doing it. Mr Parrikar had made the comment addressing the State Youth Parliament organised by the state Legislature department as he stressed on his government's resolve to tackle the drug menace in the coastal state.

"I have begun to fear now, because even girls have started drinking beer. The tolerance limit is being crossed," he had been quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Some of the earliest reactions on Twitter with the #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer hashtag - a word or phrase the ties together tweets of the same topic - called upon women to share their photos drinking beer.
 

To Sir, With Love.

Cheers from Goa, Mr Parrikar! #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer
C'mon good ladies, let's make this weekend worth it. Use the hashtag and share your beer pics on my timeline.
The one with the best pic, your beer is on me. pic.twitter.com/6AX3jejIIV

- Nishtha Gautam (@TedhiLakeer) February 10, 2018

And thus followed a fountain of criticism, wisecracks and demonstrations of defiance.
 

Oh my, how patriarchal and sexist. Cheers all #girlswhodrinkbeer pic.twitter.com/6Cnsg7GsXY

- Harinder Baweja (@shammybaweja) February 10, 2018

 

#GirlsWhoDrinkBeer with their fathers who drink beer pic.twitter.com/t0Fqxg4O5S

- Veena Venugopal (@veenavenugopal) February 10, 2018

 

Here you go ladies! Throwback to a lovely afternoon in Bangkok! @TedhiLakeer @MasalaBai #girlswhodrinkbeer pic.twitter.com/d0gOrpkTbB

- Seema Goswami (@seemagoswami) February 10, 2018

 

Hey @manoharparrikar. I know women who drink beer, wine, vodka & whiskey & some smoke pot too. They're all smart, self-sufficient, strong women who don't need your approval. That said, even when totally wasted, they make more sense than you do. #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer #GuysWhoTalkShit

- VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) February 10, 2018

Wish I had a pic for #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer, but I'm an Old Monk girl.

- Shuchi Singh Kalra (@shuchikalra) February 10, 2018

 

Dear Ex-Defence Minister,

Please don't be scared of #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer, be scared of girls who become suicide-bombers, terrorists who enter our army camps and the toddlers who get raped.

- Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) February 10, 2018

 

#GirlsWhoDrinkBeer and this was 25 years back... pic.twitter.com/ibJHvvd2C8

- Shalini Nair (@ShaliniNair68) February 10, 2018

 

Here's to all the spiritually guided! #girlswhodrinkbeer pic.twitter.com/44Pf1exx3B

- Neeti Palta (@neetipalta) February 10, 2018

PM is annoyed by women who laugh, Parrikar is scared of girls drinking beer. Yogi offers solution keep them tied to the door post.

- Tushar (@TusharG) February 10, 2018

A few users, however, noted that Mr Parrikar may not have been entirely serious.
 

Interpret it how you like, but at least convey that @manoharparrikar was speaking light-heartedly about #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer, to a crowd that took it as a joke.https://t.co/iYzDItMdrG

- Raghu Karnad (@rkarnad) February 10, 2018

 

It appears that @manoharparrikar has been misquoted as he was referring to Drug Abuse.

Regardless, Girls have every right to Drink and Smoke whatever they wish to, provided it's Legally permitted. But,this isn't something they should be encouraged to do IMHO.#GirlsWhoDrinkBeer

- Jagrati Shukla (@JagratiShukla29) February 10, 2018