K Sudhakar in news for controversial remarks on women: At an event held to mark the World Mental Health Day on Sunday, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said he felt sorry that modern women in India wanted to stay single and didn't want to give birth even id they opted to get married.
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Dr K Sudhakar made some controversial remarks while attending an event at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Sciences on October 10. The minister said, "Today, I am sorry to say this, lots of modern women in India want to stay single. Even if they get married, they don't want to give birth. They want surrogacy. So there is a paradigm shift in our thinking, which is not good."
Adding to his comment on women choosing surrogacy or singlehood, he said that the western influence is such that most people do not want their parents and grandparents to live with them.
Coming to mental health in India, he said that every seventh Indian has some kind of mental health issue. According to Sudhakar, management of stress is an art and Indian's can fall back on yoga and meditations taught by ancestors. "This art we need not learn as Indians. We need to preach to the world how to handle stress because yoga, meditation and Pranayama are wonderful tools," he added.
The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai was also present at the event. Bommai said that there is a need to focus on stress management, plus women are worst hit by stress. He requested NIMHANS Director Dr Pratima Murthy to start a stress management programme for women.
Criticism of the minister's statement
This comment by the minister has fetched criticism online where his ideas and speech were considered problematic towards women.
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"This man, from India's ruling party run by RSS, a men-only fascist outfit run by a sinister cabal of celibate, violently bigoted hatemongering men thinks India's problem is that too many women are modern and exercise choices," tweeted Kavita Krishnan, All India Progressive Women's Association Secretary and author.
This man, from India’s ruling party run by RSS, a men-only fascist outfit run by a sinister cabal of celibate, violently bigoted hatemongering men, thinks India’s problem is that too many women are modern and exercise choices. https://t.co/lOJqj1ZPUu
"Karnataka Health & Family Welfare Minister K Sudhakar's views are #misogynistic in nature; it carries an undertone of dislike and #prejudice against women amounting to #chauvanism," tweeted Sushil KGR Yati, a media researcher.
"Karnataka health Minister K Sudhakar lamenting Western influence on Indian society. Sir, imbibe some western culture to move further in life. Start with the right to privacy, space and respect for individual choices," tweeted journalist Indira Laisram.
Karnataka health minister K Sudhakar lamenting Western influence on Indian society. Sir, imbibe some western culture to move forward in life. Start with right to privacy, space and respect for individual choices.
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