Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore was at the centre of a controversy over reports that he suggested off-field roles for women journalists, an interpretation he strongly denied.
As his purported remarks at an interaction with journalists at Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC) triggered comments, he took to microblogging site Twitter to deny them.
"Totally false interpretation," Rathore said in a tweet referring to the newsreports .
In another tweet he wrote, "Every one who knows me or has met my family knows that I stand for women at par with men. My wife is an ex-soldier who has served in field."
"I've the highest respect for women personally and professionally. My 6 month pregnant soldier wife was on battlefield after parliament attack," he added.
At an interaction yesterday, Rathore had spoken about representation of women in media sector and the changing dynamics of news saying that TV is often presenting the factual aspects of the news.
"....But print is most about analysis of the impact, the implications of that news. And therein your role, could be far better utilised without actually going out into the field. Not to say that you should not go out or there is restriction on going out," he said addressing a gathering primarily of women journalists.
"In the sense of safety and security, and ofcourse your working hours and conditions. As we all know there is a degree of difficulty attached as a mother, sister and other roles that you all play," Rathore said.
He said there were other responsibilities as well while adding that there is flexibility in working hours nowadays.
"Wherein you could present your analysis or the implication of news from whichever location you are in, with the technology that we have. There are areas, like sports, battlefields, vulnerable areas, maoist infested areas. Such areas again becomes an issue for women journalists to be present there.
"And again, it has nothing to with the gender. It has everything to do with the mindset. And there are amongst you people who are breaking ground and being pioneers in this field," Rathore had told the women journalists.
