Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has kicked up a storm on Twitter after he criticised women standing in line to purchase alcohol and saying that they shouldn’t complain about “protecting women against drunk men”. His sexist remarks have drawn the wrath of singer Sona Mohapatra along with many others.
Sharing a photo showing some women standing in line outside a liquor shop, he tweeted, “Look who’s in line at the wine shops ..So much for protecting women against drunk men.” On Monday, many state governments relaxed restrictions, including opening of liquor shops, during the lockdown.
Look who’s in line at the wine shops ..So much for protecting women against drunk men 🙄 pic.twitter.com/ThFLd5vpzd
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) May 4, 2020
Varma’s comments sparked an outrage as social media users called out his sexism. Mohapatra responded to his tweet, saying that his comment “reeks of sexism”.
Dear Mr RGV,time for u to get into the line of people who desperately need a real education.1 that lets u understand why this tweet of yours reeks of sexism & misplaced morality.Women have a right to buy & consume alcohol just like men. No one has a right to be drunk & violent. https://t.co/5AUcTrAJrZ
— ShutUpSona (@sonamohapatra) May 4, 2020
“Dear Mr RGV,time for u to get into the line of people who desperately need a real education.1 that lets u understand why this tweet of yours reeks of sexism & misplaced morality.Women have a right to buy & consume alcohol just like men. No one has a right to be drunk & violent,” Mohapatra tweeted.
Several others stressed that domestic violence is a real and serious issue, and his remarks trivialised the problem while criticising women for their choice. They said that having a violent drunk family member stuck in the house with women and children during the lockdown is harmful for them.
Others pointed out that if a woman buys and drinks alcohol, it does not make her “eligible for harassment”, and it is unrealistic to assume that she cannot complain it she faces abuse from men.
