Mollah violated fundamental rights: Bengal rights panel

The West Bengal Human Rights Commission Friday said a senior CPI-M lawmaker had violated fundamental rights in asking people not to allow women to wear jeans and t-shirts.

The commission also asked the state legislative assembly secretary to probe the matter.

"The commission has asked the secretary, West Bengal legislative assembly, to probe the veracity of the remarks by Abdur Rezzak Mollah and give a report to it within two weeks," an official of the rights body said.

The WBHRC, which took cognisance of the issue following a complaint by the civil rights organisation, Association for Protection of Human Rights (APDR), said the comments amounted to interference in women's freedom to dress according to their choice.

Calling the remarks "derogatory to women", the official said "establishing a dress code for women in society is not acceptable".

Mollah, a minister in the erstwhile Left Front government, had made the remarks at a rally in the city Wednesday.