New Delhi, March 7 : Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Tuesday faced brickbats on social media for advocating a "Lakshman Rekha" for protecting youngsters, mainly teenage girls, from what she called "hormonal outbursts".
In an interview to NDTV news channel, Gandhi advocated early curfew in hostels, and said: "When you are 16 or 17, you are hormonally challenged. So, to protect you from your own hormonal outbursts, perhaps a Lakshman Rekha is drawn. It is really for your own safety."
People took Twitter to express their outrage and called her remarks regressive.
"Maneka Gandhi seems to be having a "hormonal outburst" herself. Did she really say that? Curfew for girls? Happy International Women's Day," tweeted author Shobhaa De.
"Madam Menaka Gandhi, I am having a 'hormonal outburst' right this moment after listening to you. Please help," said another Twitter user.
While several of them made personal remarks against the Minister, one user suggested "strategic introduction of sex education to save the youth from hormonal outburst".
"Dear @Manekagandhibjp we can handle 'hormonal outburst' but your 'patriarchal outburst' was too much to take," said Dipsita.
"Verbal outburst is doing more damage than Hormonal Outburst, better control former one," tweeted Haroon Rashid Bhat.
"Maneka Gandhi's 'hormonal outburst' comment makes her sound like a khap panchayat representative," posted Kunal Majumder.
Another twitter user posted: "Hostel curfew are required but don't give such pathetic reasons for some serious issues."
