Deepika Padukone video slammed by BJP leader

Veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Wednesday flayed Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone’s video about women’s empowerment.

“We don’t realise how much we have changed. It has been an Indian tradition [to address women] as ‘mother’, but now there are objections to being called a mother,” Joshi said.

“When God wanted to be everywhere, he created mother. But now that has become an old concept. Now I have a choice. Now you see we have a choice (referring to the video, which is called My Choice). Now you are a body, a commodity. This is the height of lack of consciousness,” the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said.

Addressing an event to mark the 125th birthday of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, Joshi said people have lost their consciousness and identity by aping the West.

“While foreigners keep marvelling at India’s rich culture, and traditional ways that were far more scientific, we continue to follow the West and shun our own traditions and cultures. We have lost our consciousness, our identity,” he said.

The video was released by Padukone and director Homi Adajania as part of a campaign for women’s empowerment.