Hyderabad: The state Women’s Commission has initiated a suo motu inquiry into BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao’s comments that women travelling free in RTC buses were free to “do break dances or recording (dances)” if they choose to. The commission called the comments “derogatory” towards women. Minister Danasari ‘Seethakka’ Anasuya demanded an unconditional apology for his “revolting and demeaning comments” on women.
It all started when Rama Rao, speaking in Station Ghanpur, tried to counter Seethakka’s previous comments that there was nothing wrong in women travelling in buses chose to keep themselves busy peeling garlic, or with other activities
Rama Rao said: “We have no objection to what the women do. We never said peeling garlic or cleaning ginger is wrong. It is just that we did not know that buses were for these purposes.”
He added: “All we are saying is introduce more buses, have one bus for one passenger if you wish. Let entire families travel together, let them knit, weave, and if they wish, let them do break dances, recording… All we said was folks were tearing at each other’s hair fighting for seats, which was not the case when KCR was in power.”
Seethakka in a statement, demanded an unconditional apology from Rama Rao for “revolting and demeaning comments on women that they can perform break dances and recording dances.”
She asked: “Is this the culture your father taught you. Are women in your families doing break dances? You have no respect for women. Your comments display your thoughts about women. It was the BRS which encouraged break dances and pubs and clubs in Hyderabad in its rule. After the Congress came to power, the government, as part of making women financially independent, introduced several welfare schemes, and one of these was free travel in RTC buses.”
The Telangana Women’s Commission’s chairperson Nerella Sharada posted on X that the commission had initiated a suo motu inquiry into Rama Rao’s comments, calling them “derogatory.” The comments, she said, “were not only inappropriate but have also caused distress among women.”
