Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Women should not laugh loudly? BOO this politician

July 30, 2014 16:34 IST

It seems the virus that often prompts politicians in India to shoot off their mouth and end up in controversy has now found its way into Turkey.

Turkish Deputy prime minister Bulent Arinc, one of the co-founders of the ruling Islamic-rooted Justice and Development party, sparked an outcry on Tuesday after declaring that women should not laugh loudly in public.

Lamenting the moral decline of modern society, he said: "A man should be moral but women should be moral as well. They should know what is decent and what is not decent. She should not laugh loudly in front of all the world and should preserve her decency at all times."

Arinc went on to denounce a moral degradation that left society awash with drugs and prostitution, and lashed out at popular Turkish soap operas for encouraging lax lifestyles, in comments quoted throughout the Turkish media and online.

Imitating a Turkish woman on her mobile, he said: "'Is there nothing else going on? What happened to Ayse's daughter? When's the wedding?' People should say these things face to face."

Obviously, the deputy prime minister's comments went viral on social media with most debates slamming him.

Do you agree with Arinc's comments? BOO him if you don't