‘Girls dressing up like boys’: CPI(M) Kerala state secy backs LDF convener’s comment

MV Govindan, state secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala has come out in support of his party colleague EP Jayarajan, who made disparaging remarks about girls who participated in protest demonstrations dressed in men’s attire. EP Jayarajan, who is currently the convener of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), had recently said that the girls with hair cropped and dressed up like boys are participating in black flag demonstrations against the Chief Minister.

He blamed the Opposition Congress for it, alleging that party’s leaders were distorting the social atmosphere prevailing in the society. “If this continues and black flag protesters are encouraged the situation would get worse and it would become difficult for the Opposition leader to move about,” Jayarajan said while speaking to television channels, in a veiled threat to VD Satheesan.  “People of this land won't remain mere onlookers if young women with hair cropped and wearing jeans, pants and shirts followed (Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s convoy) holding black flags with stone to them,” Jayarajan said in a speech made on March 7.

Govindan on Tuesday, March 8, said that Jayarajan did not say that girls shouldn’t be wearing such dresses and his words only meant that the attire would make it difficult for the police to identify girls from boys.

Opposition Leader VD Satheesan took a dig at the CPI(M) leaders asking whether the girls are disallowed from wearing pants and shirts or cutting their hair short. "That is everyone's personal choice. Are only boys supposed to take part in protests? Aren't girls allowed? Such comments are  anti-women. View this as the CPI(M)'s wishes for Women's Day,” he quipped.

Miva Jolly, an office bearer of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) in Ernakulam district had raised a complaint against the police in February for allegedly manhandling her during a protest at Kalamassery in Kochi. The black flag protest was against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. She alleged that a police official physically assaulted her by pushing her head forcefully and verbally abused her. A picture of the Kalamassery Circle Inspector grabbing her shoulders was widely circulated and drew criticism from the opposition Congress.

Miva Jolly was clad in a pants and a shirt during the protest and her hair was cropped. After the incident resulted in a row, police in their defense said the officer grabbed her shoulder without realising her gender.