Former Cooperation Minister and CPI(M) legislator G. Sudhakaran has said that Booker prize winning author Arundhati Roy cannot be considered the ideal role model for women in the country.
Delivering the keynote address at the second State conference of the women’s forum of All Kerala District Cooperative Bank Employees Congress (AKDCBEC) here on Sunday, Mr. Sudhakaran said that Ms. Roy’s lack of practical knowledge made it difficult for her to relate to the problems of common man. “Her misplaced criticisms against Mahatma Gandhi only strengthened the view. While some of his actions had been opposed in the past, none have questioned the greatness of Gandhi, especially when considering his selfless efforts for the country. The women of the country must never be influenced by her statements which were mostly misleading,” he said.
Mr. Sudhakaran said that a section of the media should be held responsible for propagating “hollow western models” which did not relate to the ground realities of Indian scenario. He said women in the country would enjoy equality and receive utmost respect only when their collectives contributed significantly towards social causes.
Inaugurating the conference, Mahila Congress State president Bindu Krishna said empowerment of women should begin at home. She said women in the country remained under the clutches of socially-imposed restrictions. AKDCBEC vice-president C. Vijayan presided.
