It is the 21st century but our country seems to remain regressive when it comes to women. Like it or not, as Indians we are not strangers to absurd statements from “enlightened” leaders. Just when we think India is making progress; a yogi comes along and says something so ridiculous that we cannot help but wonder if they can use their brains for something other than nonsensical gyaan. Believe it or not, Swami Krushnaswarup Dasji, a leader of an educational institution in Gujarat said in his sermon that menstruating women who cook will be reborn as bitches. We are just as astounded as you are!
Source: FirstPost
Recently, in a college in Bhuj, Gujarat, 68 young girls were humiliated by college authorities when they asked to take off their undergarments to prove that they were not menstruating. When the news of this preposterous incident got out, people everywhere were filled with rage and expressed their disgust. In a time when people are fighting for gender equality, this kind of mentality is intolerable and rightly so, the college received a lot of flak from netizens.
Unfortunately, this was not the end; the Shri Sahajanand Girls’ Institute (SSGI) sis run by Swaminarayan Bhuj Mandir sect and the spiritual leader of the sect, Krushnaswarup Dasji, proved that they are a misogynistic and conceited sect. During one of his preachings, he said that if you eat the food that is made by a woman who is menstruating even once, you will be born as an ox in your next life (cow is holy, but being an ox is a punishment?). Not only did he say something so bizarre but he had some more “insightful” ideas about rebirth.
The swami said that men should learn how to cook before getting married. No, not because modern marriages require an equal partnership but because a menstruating woman who cooks food for her husband will be reborn as a kutri (bitch). He stated that it is better for a man to cook for those days when their wives are menstruating to avoid rebirth as an ox. Not only did he mock women and their natural bodily functions, but he also added that it has been said so in the shastras (scriptures). It is appalling to see such brazen statements coming from a yogi who believes in a religion that has more than a 1000 goddesses. If a female idol can be worshiped for her holiness, why are women degraded for basic biology?
Twitterati Reacts
When the news reached the internet, Twitter users blew up with rage. They expressed their fury and pointed out the misogyny with no leaf unturned. One user tweeted saying who will tell him that he spent the first nine months of his life in a sac filled with menstrual blood. Another user mocked him by saying that if that is the case, there will be a lot of cross-breeding between oxen and dogs next birth. Here are a few more hilarious reactions:
Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter
While a few users mocked him and used humor as a tool, some of them expressed their disgust and called the swami out for his misogynistic mentality. One user said, “This disgusting & regressive mindset that aims to push a gender behind another will be the end of progress in our country.” Here are some Twitter users who were outraged by this and expressed their anger:
Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter
More About The College
SSGI is located in Bhuj, Gujarat and is run by people who preach such wise words of wisdom. (Hope you understand the sarcasm.) According to reports, a rule prevalent in the college hostel is that women who are menstruating should not eat along with other inmates but a few women allegedly broke this rule.
Source: The Print
It was reported by an inmate that more than 60 women were taken to the washroom by a female staff member and were asked to prove if they were on their period or not. They were ordered to remove their underwear to prove this and disgraced by their college. Disgusted and flabbergasted by this incident, local authorities arrested four people who were associated with this humiliation and booked under the Indian Penal Code. The principal of SSGI Rita Raninga, rector of the girls’ hostel Ramilaben Hirani and college peons Naina Gorasiya and Anita Chauhan were all arrested by the authorities. They were booked under IPC sections 384 (extortion), 355 (assault with intent to dishonor a person) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
As disappointing and demeaning this incident was to all the women in our country, we are happy to see that an action has been taken by law. As for their spiritual guru, Swami Krushnaswarup Dasji, he might not realize how insensitively bizarre he sounds, but we are certain that he needs education and awareness more than “enlightenment”.
As leaders and spiritual gurus, they have a moral obligation to impart the right knowledge among their followers. It is unacceptable that they blindly say the most bizarre thing out there and expect people to accept it without retaliation. As educated women, we have the opportunity to voice our concern and fight for our rights. However, young women from rural areas are the ones who face the brunt of such a mentality. They are unaware of their rights and are shamed for something natural. This results in various diseases due to the ignorance of menstrual health. As the privileged lot, it our duty to stand up for those women who do not have a voice and fight for what is right, even if that means questioning our so called “leaders”.
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