Women with lipstick, bobcut hair will reach Parliament': RJD leader's sexist remark on women’s reservation sparks uproar

The controversy surrounding the Women's Reservation Bill, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill,  appears to be diminishing, as Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui has claimed that because of women's reservation, Parliament would be filled with individuals promoting cosmetics and beauty products.

In the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar, an event was organized by the Extremely Backward Classes to support the bill. During this event, Siddiqui, who is the National General Secretary of RJD, said that with the implementation of the Bill, only women having bob-cut hair and the ones donning lipstick will come to the Parliament. Notably, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the women's reservation bill which seeks to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.  

Siddiqui, who came to participate in the Extremely Backward Social Awareness Conference organized by the RJD Extremely Backward Cell at a private auditorium in Bibiganj, Muzaffarpur, said the current bill wouldn't guarantee representation for all segments of women in society and argued that it would primarily favor privileged women who wear makeup and lipstick. “Women will come wearing lipstick and bob cut hair in the name of reservation." He said that if reservation has to be given, then give reservation to women belonging to backward and extremely backward classes. "Fix quota for extremely backward classes too, then it is fine, otherwise people with a bob cut and lipstick will reach the Parliament in the name of women's reservation."