Communist Party of India leader Atul Anjan and National Commission for Women chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam on Saturday took exception to veteran Carnatic singer K J Yesudas reported statement that women should not wear jeans, as it was against Indian culture.
Yesudas had reportedly told audience at a music college in Trivandrum that women should not behave like men and should dress modestly to not attract attention. He also added that wearing jeans was not a part of Indian culture.
Strongly disagreeing with his statements, CPI leader Atul Anjan told ANI, "KJ Yesudas keeps on saying things to stay in controversy. He had earlier been in some controversies earlier also. Now he has said that girls should not wear jeans. Who is he to tell somebody how they should dress? If somebody asks you why you wear a lungi, or why do you wear white clothes, what will you say then."
National Commission for Women chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam also said that Yesudas should not have made a statement like this.
"It's unfortunate that a man who is in public life, whatever may be his personal opinion, I think he spoke without thinking. India is a democracy so while nothing he said that was illegal but I think it was unethical. He should not have made a statement like this," Kumaramangalam told ANI.
She also said that while Yesudas was undoubbtedly a good man, he didn't realize how biased his statement was.