MSS Women’s Day essay topic creates flutter

Nagpur: In a shocker coming on the eve of International Women’s Day, Sitabuldi-based social organization — Matru Seva Sangh (MSS) — created a flutter on social media after its magazine ‘Masik’ invited essays on the topic ‘Stree Purush Samante Mude Udvasth Sansar’ (loosely translated as ‘Women-Men Equality Causing Ruined Families’).
Office-bearers of the organization, which runs a social work college, nursing home, hospital for specially-abled, were quick to control the damage and revise the topic to ‘Stree Purush Equality Samajacha Hitachi’ (Women-men equality in interest of society).

President Aruna Babhulkar and secretary Lata Deshmukh denied that the anti-gender equality topic was released by the trust but blamed it on some ‘mistake’.

Officials said the controversial topic was finalized by treasurer Vasanti Deshpande. Deshpande couldn’t be contacted.

Babhulkar said the essay contest for women in 18 to 35 years bracket was part of several activities planned on the occasion of ‘International Women’s Day’. “We would be garlanding the bust of our founder Kamalbai Hosepet on Friday.

A couple of officials told TOI that they were upset after reading about the topic and had pointed it out to the office bearers. They said the society should have never approved such a topic especially when the world has moved towards gender equality.