A senior minister in India triggered controversy by saying that girls wanting a night out is unacceptable in India.
"Girls wanting a night out may be all right elsewhere but it is not part of Indian culture," Indian cultural minister Mahesh Sharma told a news channel on Friday, according to Asian Age. He also said that Indians should not follow Western culture blindly.
Fifty-four-year-old Sharma, a key member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led council of ministers, also said that brothers and sisters of the same age should sleep in separate rooms as per Indian culture and tradition, according to IBNLive.
Sharma's remarks triggered strong reactions from opposition parties and feminist groups. The #masheshsharma hashtag also became a top Twitter trend, as his anti girls remarks sparked sharp reactions on social media.
"It would have been better if he would have commented on the conduct of men in our country," opposition Congress's women wing chief Shobha Oza said, ANI reported.
The ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), however, defended Sharma's statement, saying that Indians should have a simple life rather than binges of wildness during weekends.
"Mahesh Sharma's statement is correct. There is a difference between westernisation and modernisation. Westernisation has not made the society in America happy, in fact, they all are coming here to Swamy ji's Ashram to learn how to be happy," BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said, according to New Kerala.
"We should have a very simple life rather than binges of wildness during weekends," Swamy said.
