Twitterati schools Indian Railways for calling women porters as 'coolies'
New Delhi, Mar 05: Ahead of International Women's day 2020 on March 8, the Indian Railway Ministry posted a tweet paying tribute to women employees in the field on their Twitter account. However, the post has sparked a a heated debate on the micro-blogging site.
Each day the Twitter handle Ministry of Railways is putting up pictures with a small write up appreciating the women working in different departments.
But looks like, they forgot their own rule about not using the word 'coolie.'
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Taking to Twitter, Ministry of Railways posted pictures of women carrying luggage and appreciating their ard work and wrote,''Working for Indian Railways, these lady coolies have proved that they are second to none !! We salute them !!"
Working for Indian Railways, these lady coolies have proved that they are second to none !!
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) March 4, 2020
We salute them !! pic.twitter.com/UDoGATVwUZ
However, Netizens haven't taken it kindly and schooled the Railway Ministry on Twitter. Among them is Congress MP Shashi Tharoor who posted a strongly worded tweet calling the post 'a disgrace'.
This is a disgrace. But instead of being ashamed of this primitive practice, our @RailMinIndia is proudly boasting of this exploitation of poor women to carry heavy head loads?! https://t.co/qPvqjBfarw
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 4, 2020
Poverty porn is not empowerment.
— Sidrah (@SidrahDP) March 4, 2020
Do explore why the need for manual labour despite all 'scientific & technological' advances.
You are promoting occupational health hazards and glorifying it on helpless hard working women of this country.
— Arjun (@comradarjun) March 4, 2020
If this is called women empowerment then you guys should be ashamed that daughters, sisters and mothers of India has to do this to fill their stomach. Ask your senior officials to employ their mothers, sisters and daughters to do this work. https://t.co/97K8C1M3dp
— bilal motorwala (@bilal_motorwala) March 4, 2020
It should be noted that the railways have banned the word as it was considered a racial slur in some regions and also to improve their status and also improve their working condition. However, the pictures tell a different tale and netizens have voiced the same concern.
Women's Day 2020 will be marked on March 8 and it's a day dedicated to celebrating womanhood and achievements of women from different fields.