Rajasthan BJP MLA's demand to "ban skirts" irks women leaders

Rajasthan Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) MLA Banwari Singhal’s demand to ban skirts in schools in Alwar district has invited sharp reaction from women leaders and girls, who held protests in front of the legislator’s house here and demanded an apology from him. Banwari Lal Singhal, who has asked the state government to ban skirts as uniform in private schools to help stop sexual harassment, however, wasn’t skirting the issue. And he was in no mood to retract his statement. "I have seen many instances of boys on streets passing lewd comments and clicking pictures of girls waiting for school bus," Singhal argued. He claimed he had received support from all quarters of society, however most of woman leaders didn't buy such claim. 

Reacting sharply to the MLA’s statement, activist Kiran Bedi today said, “Wearing skirt does not mean you have a loose character. It is a dress. I feel before giving such orders the way our elected representatives speak they should introspect their behaviour”.