MUMBAI: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar faced flak on social media for saying he was disturbed over reports of damsels drinking beer in his home state. During an open interview at the ‘Yuva Sansad’ (youth Parliament) programme organized by the Goa government on Friday, Parrikar fielded several questions from college students and compared student life during his college days with that of today.
“I knew students watching porn when I was about 11-12 years old. When I went to the IIT there too was a small group of students involved in things like ganja, charas etc,” he said.
“People say that the drugs have penetrated Goa colleges in a big way. I don’t think so. Students would be able to tell the truth. But I’m particularly worried that girls too have started drinking beer now. I’m not saying this about all the girls. Because all girls don’t drink beer,” he said.
The online outrage was almost instantaneous, with the #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer hashtag going viral on Twitter. Most posts had pictures of girls with their beer mugs raised high, with scathing comments on the CM’s remarks.
“Absolute Kaliyug! Girls drinking beer, women laughing out loud! Aur Abhi toh Valentine’s Day ki Leela baki hai Sir!” tweeted senior journalist Mrinal Pande.
“Scared Manohar Parrikar will have nightmare for months if he gets to know that women watch porn, smoke cigarettes, give gaalis, understand and share all double-meaning jokes,” said writer-researcher Saniya Sayed.
“So what do you want from a girl?” asked Akansha Singh, a journalist who writes on women’s issues. “To fulfil sexual desires of men & produce lots and lots of sons without questioning the patriarchy? What’s the problem with a girl drinking beer or whatever. You should be thankful that we are only drinking beer & not your blood.”