Why don’t men fast on Karva Chauth: Ex BJP min Kusum Mehdele

BHOPAL: While millions of women in India were celebrating Karva Chauth, former BJP minister from Panna,

Kusum Mehdele

, took to Twitter to question the tradition.

“Men are so insecure that women have to observe fasts like Teej and Karva Chauth for them,” she remarked in a series of tweets, wondering why men do not observe fast for their wives.

The 76-year-old leader’s thought-provoking tweets came at a time when #Karwa-Chauth was trending and lakhs of women were posting pictures of their hennaed palms on social media.

In the late afternoon, the former BJP minister unleashed four tweets, all of them in Hindi. Her first tweet was in reply to Karva Chauth wishes extended by a senior BJP leader, Shashi Sinho. Kusum said: “Pati Karva Chauth ka vrat patni k liye kyu nahi rakhte (why don’t husbands observe Karva Chauth fast for wife)?”



Mehdele replied to another Karva Chauth-related tweet by Harisingh56. An RSS supporter, Singh also extended the festival wishes, tagging a picture of a woman looking at the photograph of her husband, an Armyman through a sieve, before breaking the fast.

Mehdele again asked: “Why don’t husbands fast for their wives? Why are all fasts only for the wellbeing of men?”

She followed it up with: “Hindu women observe a large number of fasts for the safety and security of their husbands and sons. Are they so weak and insecure?” Karva Chauth, Teej, Harchath Santaan Sate, Bhaiduj and Baithiki are not observed by husbands or brothers, she pointed out.



Reacting to Mehdele’s tweets, Congress spokesperson Vibha Patel said, “Religion is related to faith and reverence. One should not question who is holding fast for whom, especially Kusum Mehdele, who comes from a party that boasts of maintaining culture and tradition.”