Daijiworld Media Network - Varanasi

Varanasi, Oct 10: Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has stirred controversy after publicly advising women to stay away from live-in relationships, linking them to incidents of violence, during the 47th Convocation Ceremony of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith in Varanasi.

Addressing the gathering, the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of State Universities, said, “I want to say only one thing to the girls. Live-in relationships have become a trend these days. But, stay away from it.”

Issuing a stern warning, she added, “Otherwise, you must have seen women being chopped up into 50 pieces.”

Expressing her concern over increasing incidents of partner violence, she said, “I have been hearing such news for the past few days, and I keep thinking, why do our daughters do this? It pains me.”

She further recalled a discussion with a judge who had voiced similar concerns about women’s safety. “The judge said that awareness campaigns should be launched in the universities so that young women can protect themselves against exploitation,” the Governor said.

Second Statement in Two Days

This is the second time in two days that the Governor has made a controversial statement on live-in relationships at a university event.

Earlier, while speaking at the seventh convocation of Jananayak Chandrashekhar University in Ballia, she had linked live-in relationships to social consequences.

She had said, “You will see 15 to 20-year-old girls standing in line with one-year-old babies when you visit orphanages,” referring to the alleged outcomes of such relationships.