On Wednesday, right-wing leader Sambhaji Bhide courted controversy as he refused to talk to a female television news reporter because she had not put a 'bindi' on her forehead.
The incident was caught on camera the video of which is going viral on social media. The incident occurred after Sambhaji Bhide met Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at Mantralaya (state secretariat) in south Mumbai, and promoted the state women’s commission to issue him a notice.
In the video posted by the journalist herself, Rupali B, Sambhaji Bhide was heard telling her that she should apply a ‘bindi’ (a decorative dot worn in the middle of the forehead by women) before coming to take his byte and declined to speak to her.
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He also told the journalist that a woman is akin to Bharat Mata and should not appear like a “widow” by not sporting a ‘bindi.
The journalist from Saam TV news shared the incident and said it is her personal choice whether to wear a bindi or not. "We respect people seeing their age. But people should also be qualified for the respect. It is my personal choice whether to wear a bindi or not. This is a democracy," the journalist tweeted.
Maharashtra State Women’s Commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar issued a notice to the right-wing leader seeking an explanation for his remarks.
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“Under Section 12(2) and 12(3) of the State Women’s Commission Act, 1993, you are hereby asked to explain your position of not speaking with a woman journalist because she was not wearing a bindi,” the notice said.
In 2018, Bhide came under fire for his comments that couples were blessed with sons after eating mangoes from his orchard.
