Singer Yesudas faces ire over ‘jeans’ remark
He also attempted to define how women should conduct themselves in public
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-10-04 02:50 GMT
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s most loved singer K.J. Yesudas has made what has been widely termed a misogynist remark. “Women should not trouble others by wearing jeans,” the Padma Vibhushan winner said during a function here on Gandhi Jayanti day, October 2.
“What has to be covered should be covered. Women should not use their capacity to attract to tempt others into doing nasty things,” the singer said.
It was the 74-year-old singer’s diatribe against western culture during his speech that led to the ‘jeans’ comment. He was inaugurating a state-wide cleanliness mission organized by the Indo-Arab Samskarika Samithi at Swati Thirunal Music College here.
He also attempted to define how women should conduct themselves in public. “A women’s beauty comes from her modesty,” he said. Predictably, his remarks provoked anger among women’s organizations.
“His comments are immature, ugly, chauvinistic and completely out of place in a modern world,” said T N Seema, the state president of All India Democratic Women’s Association. Mahila Congress state president Bindu Krishna said Yesudas’s remarks were primitive.
“We never expected such a statement from a legend like Yesudas. He should withdraw his comments,” Ms Krishna said.