Shame on you Mumbai mirror !

Mumbai mirror, a ridiculous misogynist publication calling itself a media house has done something that the entire nation is feeling ashamed today. A constituent of the larger pseudo liberal circle has come out with an article which is offensive to womanhood and has targeted union minister of textiles, Smriti Irani, solely on the basis of her gender.

In its sick and disgusting piece, full of derogatory material, Mumbai mirror has left no possible misogynist barb that could be made against Smriti Irani. The self-proclaimed feminist outlet did not leave a stone unturned to put down a woman due to mere ideological difference. The hideous story claimed that the BJP top brass has demoted Smriti Irani to her room with her ‘knitting needles’ in a dastardly attack at her textiles portfolio. The author of this sick piece, Namrata Zakaria then opined that this insignificant portfolio has been left by the BJP leadership for a noisy, annoying woman. However, before making this veiled attack and calling the textile ministry an insignificant portfolio, the ‘feminists’ did not even bother to research about how women are empowered by this insignificant sector across the length and breadth of the country. The article, then goes into damage control measure and claims that this insignificant sector can be turned into a global player.

It seems that instead of any objective criticism, Mumbai mirror was interested in making distasteful personal attacks at Smriti Irani and her womanhood. The columnist literally judges Smriti Irani because Irani happens to be a strong woman and not the kind of woman who can be bogged down. Mumbai mirror actually feels that Smriti Irani is the ‘wrong kind of feminism’ for she dared to speak up against hidden cameras in the ladies’ change room! If this is the ‘wrong kind of feminism’ then only god knows what feminism means. If protecting women against a blatant violation of their bodily privacy is ‘wrong kind of feminism’ then we don’t care for those who have a problem with this kind of feminism, it is there to stay. 

However, manipulative the story may have been, Mumbai mirror failed to hide from where all this criticism about Smriti Irani is coming. Despite all efforts to somehow defame Smriti Irani and malign the idea of feminism she represents, Mumbai mirror ended up indicating that it has come out  because it was Smriti Irani who tried to shut the ‘fake news’ business. This Mumbai mirror story made another outrageous claim that ‘fake news’ is central to media and a journalistic freedom. One fails to understand how ‘fake news’ serves this purpose when the underlying object of running a media outlet is to inform the audience. What purpose and can be achieved by propagating misinformation.

This is not it, this crass article by Mumbai mirror unworthy of being called a media story made remarks even about the way Smriti Irani behaves in her personal space. Mumbai mirror has a problem with the saris that Smriti Irani wears, her sindoor and even her slippers. This is the level to which Mumbai mirror has fallen in order to pursue a particular agenda. Who gave them the right to decide what a woman should wear and to judge someone on the basis of her clothes. It is her personal space and Mumbai mirror has no business commenting about it. This also suggests, that there is nothing wrong with her political and public life and therefore, Mumbai mirror decided to comment upon her personal choices. The dig at donning a sari and sporting sindoor is reflective of a colonial hangover whereby a woman is not deemed to be strong and independent by some ‘intellectuals’ unless she dresses and behaves in a particular way. Ironically, they believe that issuing diktats about what a woman should wear and how she should behave is central to feminism. In the guise of feminism, entities like Mumbai mirror curb freedom that women are entitled to enjoy.

The article which is outrageous and contemptible in its entirety, also body shamed Smriti Irani. The columnist has a problem with the fact that Irani has put on some weight as well. But how does it matter ? Is feminism the exclusive premise of women who can control their weight? Is that ideology itself not in total disregard of feminism and women rights? Mumbai mirror also went on defending a misogynistic comment made by an online troll, wherein Sanjiv Bhatt called Smriti Irani ‘Aunty national’. Shocking and contemptible as his statement may be, lutyens’ journalists see some kind of high-level intellect in such distasteful remarks.

Also, in a lascivious tweet Mumbai mirror stated that Smriti Irani “sucks up” to the boss. This is hard to fathom but a set of misogynists and braindead writers masquerading as journalists have actually said this about a union minister. Mumbai mirror by publishing this contemptible peace which is condemnable for so many reasons has invited deep trouble for itself. The concerned ministries and agencies must go with all their might after those who published this article. A line needs to be drawn and such malicious activities cannot be allowed in the name of media freedom. Smriti Irani should also drag Mumbai mirror to the court and not allow them to get away lightly with this. They should be shown where they stand and what happens when someone tries to publicly cast aspersions at a woman just because they don’t like her political views and personal choices. The society and the press associations must come out criticising, condemning and boycotting those who openly assassinate the character of a woman for settling scores. Mumbai mirror must be made to face the heat and an example must be set. Mumbai mirror went too far  in its insidious motives and now stands exposed for its dastardly acts.