Newsmaker: Narendra Modi’s misstep on gender equality

MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images

Things were going so good for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his revisit to Canada in April, he substantially should have stayed here. Instead, he’s flown off to Bangladesh and stranded his feet in his mouth by complimenting Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her bravery to confront terrorism “despite being a woman.”

The examples of former British primary apportion Margaret Thatcher and her Israeli reflection Golda Meir—hardly restored leaders in a face of terrorism—must have slipped Modi’s mind, and now he’s turn a aim of most online mockery. “DespiteBeingAWoman” has trended as a hashtag on Twitter, where users are bragging about their ability to accomplish tasks such as regulating a Internet and eating breakfast—despite being women. Others reminded Modi of clever Indian women, including one of his predecessors as primary minister, Indira Gandhi, and Noor Inayat Khan, an representative with Britain’s famed Special Operations Executive during a Second World War.

Modi’s tone-deaf comments mount out in pointy contrariety to some of his prior initiatives and open statements per gender equivalence and women’s rights. When he was arch apportion for Gujarat, Modi auctioned off gifts he perceived and used a income to account programs assisting girls in a state get an education. Last year, during his initial Independence Day debate as primary minister, Modi addressed a emanate of rape and urged relatives to military a poise of their sons, instead of simply tying a leisure of their daughters in an bid to keep them safe. He’s also cursed a jagged termination of womanlike fetuses, that has resulted in a gender imbalance in a country.

Modi has frequently trafficked outward India given apropos primary minister, visiting during slightest 19 unfamiliar countries. He’s penetrating to attract unfamiliar investment and to accelerate India’s picture and poke in a world, generally as a blow to China.

Indians seem generally gratified with him so far. A Times of India-Ipsos check published in May suggested a infancy of respondents rated his opening as “very good” or “somewhat good.” But a gaffe like this can hurt. Modi can usually wish India’s womanlike voters, notwithstanding being women, will pardon him.

Newsmaker: Narendra Modi’s misstep on gender equality