The 'ripped jeans' comments by the newly appointed Uttarakhand CM Tirath Singh Rawat continue to draw flak from all sides. In the latest, actor-politician Jaya Bachchan reacted sharply to the CM's comment saying, saying this was the mindset that encouraged crimes against women. "Such statements don't befit a Chief Minister," said the Samajwadi Party parliamentarian on the remarks that have drawn anger on social media.
The Rajya Sabha member was spoke to a news agency and said, "Those in higher posts must think and make public statements. You say such things in today's times, you will decide who's cultured and who's not based on clothes? It's bad mindset and encourages crimes against women."
Bollywood celebrities too reacted strongly against the CM's remark on women wearing ripped jeans. Earlier this week, CM Rawat was speaking at an anti-substance abuse workshop organised by the Uttarakhand State Commission for Protection of Child Rights in Dehradun. He said that ripped jeans are ‘bad examples’ set by parents. He further expressed his apprehension towards bare knees being exposed and went on to draw a parallel between the Indian and western culture. He said, "Kaynchi se sanskaarn (Using scissors to define our culture) – showing bare knees, wearing ripped denim and looking like rich kids – these are the values being given now. Where is this coming from, if not at home? What is the fault of teachers or schools? Where am I taking my son, showing his knees and in tattered jeans? Girls are no less, showing their knees. Is this good? While the western world follows us, doing yoga … covering their body properly. And we run towards nudity."
He recalled an incident where he had met a woman dressed in ripped jeans, and that woman was running an NGO. He said, "If this kind of woman goes out in the society to meet people and solve their problems, what kind of message are we giving out to society, to our kids? It all starts at home. What we do, our kids follow. A child who is taught the right culture at home, no matter how modern he becomes, will never fail in life."
This controversial remark didn't go down well on social media and the hashtag #RippedJeansTwitter started trending on Twitter since Wednesday.
Several Bollywood celebrities also reacted to the remark , voicing protest.
Koena Mitra tweeted: "May Bjp rule for another 50 years but.... ripped jeans and boots will rock forever! Men don't tell us what to wear! I wear shorts and snickers, I dance like a hip hopper, I chant Hanuman chalisa, I vote, I travel like a Gypsy and I cancel Men like him. Stop."
Gul Panag tweeted a photo of herself wearing ripped jeans and captioned: "#RippedJeansTwitter"
Sona Mohapatra shared a photo of herself wearing a ripped long t shirt and wrote: "I don't wear jeans owing to the humidity & heat here but happy for this ripped T shirt with my sanskari ghutnas showing!..& #GirlsWhoWearRippedJeans don't need anyone's permission in #India . We are the land of the glorious Konark, Khajurao, Modhera, Thirumayam, Virupaksha!"
Shruti Seth tweeted: "Currently ripping all my jeans."
Amitabh Bachchan's granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda had on Wednesday evening reacted to the Uttarakhand Chief Minister's comment. Taking to her Instagram story, Navya shared a photo of herself in ripped jeans, asking the CM to change his mentality.
"Change your mentality before changing our clothes. Because the only thing shocking here is the message comments like this send to society. Just..." Navya wrote.
Sharing her photo in ripped jeans, Navya wrote, "I'll wear my ripped jeans. Thank you. And I'll wear them proudly." However, she later deleted the post.
Even actress Kangana Ranaut reacted to the hashtag trend, however, her advice to people who wear ripped jeans was to match her 'coolness quotient' and not look like a beggar.