NCW head draws flak for 'sexy' remark

The chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Mamata Sharma's interpretation of the word ‘sexy’ has sparked controversy here with the women's organisations up in arms against her, demanding her resignation.

While addressing a programme at Birla auditorium on Saturday, Sharma said women should not feel ashamed of being called sexy.

"If somebody comments that a woman is very sexy, it means she is beautiful, charming and exciting and we should take it as a compliment", Sharma said. She said the problem arises if we take the word sexy in a negative sense.

However, her statement has met with strong criticism from women's groups in the state.
According to the statement issued by women's organisations, ‘sexy’ comes under the purview of sexual assault.

The women’s groups said the statement of National Commission for Women’s chairman is “an insult to all women and shows lack of thinking of someone heading the highest body for women in the country”.

The women organisations said Mamata Sharma’s views have not only hurt women but even the common citizens.  They said chairperson’s logic goes against the ruling of the Supreme Court which said any kind of direct or indirect indecent comment based on sex comes under the purview of sexual harassment.

 Mamata's statement shows that she sees women as commodity, said Kavita Srivastava of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), demanding her resignation from the post.