Sneha Roy did not anticipate the reaction her comment on Facebook would have when she spoke her mind about columnist Shobhaa De’s statement body shaming Kate Middleton. “To be frank, I didn’t expect this kind of a reaction,” says the English Honours student. For the uninformed, De had said, “A Sari needs curves, Kate has none,” and went on to speak how she was saved the horror of seeing Kate’s non-curvaceous figure in a sari.
Talking about what compelled her to give such a befitting reply, the 19-year-old teenager from Assam says, “I’ve always been highly critical of careless comments passed by the so-called important people of our society, shaming not just them but the entire Indian society.
Shobhaa De’s comment is a complete violation of our country’s ideals of Atithi Devo Bhava,” she says, adding, “She failed to notice that the very elegant Duchess was no model treading the ramp to be awarded with sartorial comments but our guest.”
The solution to this problem is quite simple, she says. “We need to look at our fellow humans without stained glasses of physical or social prejudice. Curves or none, our identity is our personality and that should also be the only criterion to judge others.”
Her post has resonated with many as she has been continuously receiving messages of approval. “I’ve received overwhelming greetings and encouragement from people from all over India and also some from Pakistan and Nepal.”
