Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, 84, has a tip too many for Gen Z— from live-in relationships to pregnancy, mothering and more. But her words of advice do not sit well with everyone.
The general consensus, among opposition parties, women leaders and social commentators, seems to be that her mindset is “outdated”, and that she doesn’t understand the aspirations of “modern women” as she comes from an RSS background.
Patel was a confidante of Narendra Modi when he was the Gujarat chief minister, and succeeded him after he moved to New Delhi as prime minister. She resigned in 2016, and was subsequently appointed Governor of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. She has been UP Governor since July 2019, and has since shown a penchant for controversies.
At the convocation of Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU) in Kanpur Thursday, Patel said women should strive to become “expert mothers” before aspiring to become IAS officers or teachers, while stressing on family values, parental responsibility and character-building.
Addressing students, the Governor, who is also the chancellor of state universities, said professional success should not come at the cost of family responsibilities.
She urged young women to continue their education and careers after marriage while contributing to the well-being of their family and society.
“Whether you become an IAS officer or a teacher, first become an expert mother. Everyone should know how to cook the food prepared at home,” she asserted.
Patel further said women should use their knowledge and skills for nation-building and urged parents not to consider their responsibility complete after securing admission for their children in schools or colleges.
Earlier, while addressing the convocation ceremony of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University in Lucknow Tuesday, Patel had made another set of remarks that triggered controversy.
“Sometimes boys and girls elope… then some become pregnant… no one accepts the child… who are the child’s parents? The government,” she said. “This is all your doing… don’t engage in such things.”
Her comments on both occasions have since drawn strong criticism, with opposition parties and commentators accusing the Governor of making regressive remarks about women and personal relationships.
Reacting to Patel’s remarks, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Pooja Shukla told ThePrint: “The Governor comes from the BJP-RSS ideology and does not understand what modern women aspire to. Her mindset is outdated.”
“At a time when society is talking about equality, she believes women are meant only for household responsibilities. Who is she to decide that? We strongly condemn such remarks.”
UP Congress spokesperson Shuchi Vishwas also criticised the Governor’s comments: “Her views on women do not align with the mindset of today’s generation. She was addressing young minds, most of whom belonged to Gen Z. I don’t think any girl present there would have agreed with her views. There is no point in trying to act as ‘dadi-amma’ of female students every time. Even grandparents today have a modern outlook.”
Former Lucknow University vice-chancellor Roop Rekha Verma also objected.
“Such statements should not be welcomed. Girls know what path they want to follow. Instead of giving such advice to young women, the Governor should have highlighted the condition of universities under her chancellorship,” she told ThePrint.
“People of one ideology are capturing educational institutions. There are far more important concerns to discuss, including women’s safety, health and education.”
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‘Girls cut into 50-50 pieces’
This is not the first time Patel has courted controversy with her comments.
Last year, while speaking at a university convocation in Varanasi, she advised students to stay away from live-in relationships.
“Stay away from live-in relationships. Take decisions about your life carefully… you must have seen girls cut into 50-50 pieces,” she said, referring to some high-profile murder cases involving women.
During the 2024 convocation ceremony at Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University in Lucknow, Patel made a startling claim about the Ramayana character Kumbhakarna while speaking about India’s historical knowledge and technological achievements.
Describing him as a “technocrat”, she said Kumbhakarna, Kumbhakarna, the brother of demon king Ravana, was an expert in technology.
According to Patel, Kumbhakarna spent that time secretly conducting research and developing machines. She further claimed that Ravana deliberately spread the story that Kumbhakarna slept for six months to conceal his work.
“We may not have this knowledge today, but everything is written in the books,” the Governor had said.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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