Miss World foot-washing row: BRS women leaders seek Sonia Gandhi’s intervention

Dubbing it as a grave affront to Telangana’s dignity, the party condemns the incident as humiliating and unacceptable

Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) came down heavily on the Congress government for orchestrating an “insulting spectacle” during a Miss World pre-event in Warangal, where Dalit, tribal and economically disadvantaged women were allegedly made to wash and wipe the feet of foreign participants.

Dubbing it as a grave affront to Telangana’s dignity, the BRS condemned the incident as humiliating and unacceptable. In a strongly worded letter to senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, BRS leaders P Sabitha Indra Reddy, Satyavathi Rathod, V Sunita Laxma Reddy and MLA Kova Laxmi, among others, urged immediate intervention to restore the State’s self-respect.

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They demanded an unconditional public apology from Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and called for swift corrective measures to address public anger and outrage.

The leaders termed the incident a “shameful betrayal” of the ideals of the Telangana statehood movement. “Reducing Dalit and tribal women to props in a global publicity stunt, undermines sacrifices of martyrs and violates the very essence of our struggle,” they said.

They blamed the Congress government for promoting a servile mindset that runs counter to Telangana’s identity and pride.

The BRS criticised the Congress for its 18 months of deception, wherein the government had failed to deliver on key promises under the Mahalakshmi scheme, such as Rs 2,500 monthly support and scooters for girl students. “While claiming financial constraints to fulfil promises, the government spent Rs 200 crore on beauty pageants. That money should have been used for women’s welfare, education and employment,” the leaders asserted.

They also cited a pattern of disrespect and neglect towards women by the Congress government including the alleged denial of benefits to ASHA workers, the public humiliation of Sabitha Indra Reddy by the Chief Minister, and threats issued to women journalists. They also mentioned the harassment of protesting battalion police wives and atrocities against Dalit women in the Chief Minister’s Kodangal constituency, which drew censure from National Women’s Commission and National Human Rights Commission, but no action from the State.

“Is this the Telangana we all fought for? Would Congress party continue to support a Chief Minister who undermines the dignity of Telangana’s women daily?” they asked.

They vowed to continue defending Telangana’s cultural and moral fabric. “This humiliation is not just of a few women, but an insult to every mother, sister, and daughter in this land,” they said.