"Will you buy cold drink with broken seal?", Jadavpur University professor's shocking comment on virginity

In an absolutely shocking, misogynist and sexist comment, a professor at the Jadavpur University in Kolkata has compared a virgin girl to a sealed bottle. The comments were posted by Kanak Sarkar. And not just one, Sarkar has posted many controversial Facebook posts regarding a woman's virginity.

In an awful Facebook post, which has now been deleted, Sarkar asked, "Are you willing to buy a broken seal while purchasing a bottle of cold drink or a packet of biscuits?"

“Many boys remain fool. They are not aware of virgin girl as wife. Are you willing to buy a broken seal while purchasing a bottle of cold drink or a packet of biscuits?” wrote Kanak Sarkar, an international relations (IR) professor who has been associated with the university for two past two decades. He also sought to link “virginity” with “culture and sexual hygiene “. “A girl is biologically sealed from birth until it is opened. A virgin girl means many things accompanied as values, culture, sexual hygiene. To most boys virgin wife is like angel,” read his post.

Calling his post “shocking” and “misogynistic”, the National Commission for Women took suo motu cognisance of it and asked the state DGP to probe the matter, take appropriate action and apprise the commission of the same.

While Sarkar deleted his posts after the uproar, he also defended himself saying, “I write my personal opinion. The Supreme Court has repealed section 66 A of the IT Act and given freedom of expression on social media. I have not written anything against any person, individual or anybody without any evidence or proof or reference. I am doing social research and writing for the good and well-being of society.

Meanwhile, students of the IR department wrote to the department head requesting Sarkar’s removal. “We are shocked to read the statements he has made. It is not only derogatory but also insensitive…Such statements will make female students uncomfortable and therefore there is a need to change the faculty member to ensure such lessons do not get transmitted among students".

(With inputs from agencies)