This Article is From Sep 18, 2014

Hema Malini Clarifies Controversial Remarks on Vrindavan Widows

Hema Malini Clarifies Controversial Remarks on Vrindavan Widows

File pic: BJP MP Hema Malini

Vrindavan: Actor-turned-BJP parliamentarian Hema Malini today supplied her clarification in a series of tweets after a controversy over her comment that "widows from Bengal and Bihar should stay there" and not crowd Vrindavan, the holy city in Uttar Pradesh home to thousands of destitute women.

"I only want to say that sons should not throw their mothers out but arrange to take care of them and provide for them. This awareness is lacking. Also most are from W Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. My request was to these people to have a more humane approach and look after these poor widows properly (sic)," Ms Malini tweeted today.

"Please tell me if I am wrong in saying that sons and daughters cannot discard their duty & cannot bundle them onto a train and forget about them," she said.

On Tuesday, the 65-year-old film star told reporters, "There are 40,000 widows in Vrindavan.  If they come from Bengal, why don't they stay in Bengal? There are nice temples there. Those who come from Bihar, why don't they stay there? A large population is coming from Bengal... that's not right. It will be a problem for Vrindavan residents."

Vrindavan is part of the BJP MP's Mathura constituency.

Asked about begging by widows and their children, she said, "They have a bank balance, they are living well. They have a good income, nice beds. But they still beg. It's a habit."

Today, Ms Malini appeared to backtrack, saying in her tweets, "I think none of you have listened to my actual interview. I personally found out that there are about 5000 widows in Vrindavan. Spoke to some. Most have been abandoned by family and put on trains to Vrindavan without any money. While some of them find jobs as maids, many take to begging."

She added, "For no fault of theirs, they are thrown on the streets and are compelled to beg to survive. Is this fair? Do you think these old women deserve this fate?"

Congress leaders have called for her apology.

"Hema Maliniji's remark against widows of Vrindavan highly Parochial and uncalled for. She must withdraw it (sic)," tweeted Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.
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