The moral police have struck again and this time around, the dispute has erupted within the corridors of academia, at SNDT Women’s University (Churchgate)
The moral police have struck again and this time around, the dispute has erupted within the corridors of academia, at SNDT Women’s University (Churchgate).
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SNDT vice-chancellor Shashikala Wanjari has warned students to cover up “fully” or face action. Without spelling out what constitutes “indecent” attire, the order says that the principal, the directors and the heads of departments will be keeping an eye out to ensure students are properly dressed on campus.
In a report in this paper, the V-C said she wants girls to wear clothes that cover the entire body. Once again, the old culture bogey has come up and the oft referred to universal entity ‘Indian culture’ is making headlines. But, unfortunately, the flag bearer this time is one of the top most members of an education institute. Once again, people are being disciplined, chastised, upbraided, fined and even being shamed for going against ‘Indian culture’.
The argument, however, is why should young students, especially girls, be pulled up for their attire? It would be nice to see less of such policing because no individual has the right to dictate what a woman should wear. If someone in a position of authority has to enforce some such diktat, the same should be clearly spelt out in black on white. Who decides what’s indecent and what kind of clothes fall under the purview of decent? Connotations of indecency may also differ from one department head to the other.
The diktat is being imposed upon young minds, who often suffer from low self-esteem. Why target girls over clothes and allow others in the society to make a swipe at them too?
If you think clothes can distracting, instead insisting the girls change their clothes, change your mindset. Let us strike moral policing off the syllabus on every campus.
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