Screengrab from the viral video (X)
A video of the former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah, speaking with a female journalist has gone viral. In the said video, Abdullah can be seen asking weird questions to the journalist, making her uncomfortable. The video is being shared widely and netizens have called it disrespectful of him.
Readers must know that this is not the first time that Abdullah has sparked controversy around women. He has been known for making bizarre comments about women in the past, and activists have also sought an apology.
Before moving on to his controversial statement from the past, let us take you through the viral video.
In the viral video, Abdullah can be seen coming out where a female reporter is waiting for his byte. As soon as she approaches him, Abdullah grabs her hand which has henna imprinted on them.
Abdullah asked, why was the henna for, he said, are you married?
Why is this (Mehndi) on your hands? She says it was my elder brother’s marriage!
Then he asks so will his wife stay with him for a few days or leave him?
Abdullah asked, When will you get married? Did you choose your husband? Will your parents choose your husband or you?
He asks again did you get married? She says sir I am very young right now. Then he says, beware of who you marry. Who knows he would be roaming around with women and you would have no idea!
All this while men around him laugh. All this while Farooq Abdullah avoids questions of the female reporter.
How do the netizens react?
A verified Twitter user wrote, “Badkismat thi yeh kashmiriyo ki, ki yeh aadmi humara CM tha!” (We are shameful that this man was our CM)
Another verified user from Kashmir wrote, “Wisdom and elegance is supposed to come with age but for some people, age comes alone.”
Another verified user wrote, that the woman should report against him and write, “Clear case of molestation, she should report.”
A journalist wrote, “Have faced it many times during my initial days of print and। TV journalism. This is political arrogance pro-Max, displayed when they don’t have answers or just wish to mock & shoo away the tough journalist facing them.”
A user wrote, “He is a public figure, and the example he is setting is concerning. When a female interviewer comes to seek answers, instead of responding professionally, he touches her hand and makes personal comments. Why should physical contact be involved with anyone?”
Another verified Twitter user wrote, “These are privileged Nepotism Products so they will not questioned
1) They are called class even if they touch women inappropriately as they are Liberals
2) They are called class as they know how to hold a Glass of beer
3) They can even boycott Media Personalities yet they preach about Freedom of Press”
A verified Twitter user wrote, “Also look at him touching the journalist inappropriately all the time. Shocking & horrible.”
Similar case from the past
Well, this is not the first time that Abdullah has sparked a row for his behaviour or statements around women.
In 2013, during an interview, the then Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Abdullah was asked to comment on former Supreme Court judge AK Ganguly’s sexual harassment case. His response was nothing short of flippant.
“I’m scared to talk to a woman these days. I don’t even want to keep a female secretary. Who knows, I might end up in jail because of a complaint,” Abdullah said.
“These days the situation is such that one is scared of talking to girls. We feel that a lady should not be hired as a secretary. God forbidding, if there is some complaint we may land in jail,” he said.
Asked whether he was blaming the fair sex, he said, “No, no, I am not blaming the girl. I am blaming society itself. The society has reached a stage where complaints are coming from the other side.”
“Rapes should not take place. The number of girls has gone down. When a child is born we pray for a son. When a girl is born we cry,” Abdullah said.
He was called out even his son, the then CM of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah said, he should apologise. Writing on Twitter, he said: “I’m sure the attempt wasn’t to trivialise the important issue of women’s security so I hope Dad apologises for the misplaced attempt at humour.”
The then Union Minister then sought to wriggle out of controversy, “people are misunderstanding things and they are misquoting things in many ways.”
“I feel terribly sorry that people are misunderstanding things and they are misquoting things in many ways. There is no question of anything to derogate. I feel the time has come there must have justice and there must have 33 per cent reservation in the Parliament as quickly as possible,” he said.
“If something goes wrong, I am sorry for that. I never meant it in the manner that people have taken it,” he added.
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