Kerala Assembly polls 2026: UDF mindset on women ‘regressive and uncivilised,’ says Minister R. Bindu

Higher Education Minister R. Bindu on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the United Democratic Front (UDF), calling it a “regressive and uncivilised male collective” over a controversial public remark made by one of its leaders against MLA U. Prathibha.

Reacting strongly, Dr. Bindu said the incident exposed the UDF’s failure to even superficially internalise the values of gender justice and equality. “This reveals a mindset that is deeply insensitive to women and their rightful place in society,” she said.

Describing women as the cornerstone of the democratic system, the Minister said their participation in public life was the result of sustained struggles, not charity. “Women did not enter public spaces out of anyone’s generosity. It was hard-won. The belief that they can be pushed back into the kitchen still exists among some, and this incident is a reminder of that,” she said.

The Minister also criticised attempts to downplay the remark as a mere slip of the tongue. “Many are trying to justify it as a casual error, but this reflects a deeper pattern,” she said, adding that similar attitudes were often encountered even from younger leaders within the UDF, including in the Assembly.

Demeaning attitude

She alleged that women were being acknowledged in democratic processes only out of compulsion, and that even women leaders within the UDF were subjected to such demeaning attitudes. “This kind of thinking is shocking to the social conscience,” she said.

Warning of a political response, Dr. Bindu said women would not remain silent. “Those with such primitive mindsets, and those who defend them, will be taught a lesson by women,” she added.