Shillong:
On International Women's Day, came a shocking comment from Meghalaya's Deputy Chief Minister B Lanong who called some women 'vipers'.
"I find that there are two or three women in our society who are biting, their venom is like vipers. Anything that you do they find fault," Lanong said.
This is in a state where there may be a matrilineal system in place, but women do not enjoy their rights. The comments prompted women's groups in Shillong to boycott all women's day activities.
When NDTV asked the minister about his comment, he reiterated his stand.
"So two or three women said that I've attacked the identity of women. I said that these two or three of them are always in the habit. You go to the right or go to the left, you talk right or you talk wrong, they will always attack. You'll always bite like vipers, I said that. OK," Lanong said.
In a recent meeting held in Shillong by the National Commission of Women (NCW), the Minister refused to admit that Meghalaya also has reports of crime against women. Instead, he attacked a group of women raising these issues.
"This is a state with the highest number of women held households. It also has the highest women mortality rate and highest infant mortality rate, all the indicators are negative for women," said Patricuia Mukhim, Editor, The Shillong Times.
Given the fact that Meghalaya is a matrilineal society, Shillong is an unlikely place for women to come out and protest on International Women's Day. The gathering maybe small but it's just the beginning of a counter movement against the supposed privileges of matriliny.
"I find that there are two or three women in our society who are biting, their venom is like vipers. Anything that you do they find fault," Lanong said.
This is in a state where there may be a matrilineal system in place, but women do not enjoy their rights. The comments prompted women's groups in Shillong to boycott all women's day activities.
When NDTV asked the minister about his comment, he reiterated his stand.
"So two or three women said that I've attacked the identity of women. I said that these two or three of them are always in the habit. You go to the right or go to the left, you talk right or you talk wrong, they will always attack. You'll always bite like vipers, I said that. OK," Lanong said.
In a recent meeting held in Shillong by the National Commission of Women (NCW), the Minister refused to admit that Meghalaya also has reports of crime against women. Instead, he attacked a group of women raising these issues.
"This is a state with the highest number of women held households. It also has the highest women mortality rate and highest infant mortality rate, all the indicators are negative for women," said Patricuia Mukhim, Editor, The Shillong Times.
Given the fact that Meghalaya is a matrilineal society, Shillong is an unlikely place for women to come out and protest on International Women's Day. The gathering maybe small but it's just the beginning of a counter movement against the supposed privileges of matriliny.
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