Kothamangalam: The Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPM) has always stood for gender equity, CPM state secretary MV Govindan said on Thursday dismissing allegations that his remarks on dressing of women were sexist.
“We are not concerned about women's attire. This is a targeted attack on the Janakeeya Prathirodha Jatha (People's Resistance Rally). Some groups are just hand-picking remarks from my speech for the sake of controversy,” he said.
LDF convener EP Jayarajan had made a public remark on the dressing of women protesters, which was later seconded by CPM state secretary MV Govindan.
Addressing a public event on Tuesday, Jayarajan alleged that young women -- belonging to Youth Congress -- in the guise of men were participating in the black flag protests against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
"Young women with cropped hair wearing jeans and shirts waved black cloth at the chief minister," Jayarajan had said.
When asked about his colleague's sexist comment, MV Govindan was amused. "He (Jayarajan) merely pointed out that the police could not recognise them," Govindan said with a smile. "He was saying how do they recognise a girl if she's cut her hair like a boy, wears boys' clothes and looks like a boy."
