Did Aniruddhacharya Maharaj Misinterpret His Comments?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Aniruddhacharya Maharaj's comments were misrepresented.
- He aims to promote virtue among youth.
- His remarks apply to both genders equally.
- Media plays a crucial role in shaping public perception.
- Direct communication in rural dialects can be misunderstood.
New Delhi, Aug 7 (NationPress) Aniruddhacharya Maharaj, who recently ignited controversy due to his remarks regarding women's clothing and marriage age, has provided a clarification.
In a discussion with IANS in Mathura, he claimed that his comments were misquoted and only partially presented, which led to significant public backlash.
Aniruddhacharya expressed his frustration towards the media, accusing them of sharing an incomplete and misleading interpretation of his words.
“I made my comments with equal consideration for both boys and girls, yet the media focused solely on the aspect concerning girls, causing a misunderstanding,” he stated.
He elaborated that terms like “mooh maarna” (translated to “loose character”) derive from rural dialects and were not intended to offend anyone.
“In rural areas, communication can be very straightforward. When an individual, regardless of gender, engages in multiple relationships, it is commonly described as ‘char jagah mooh maarna’ (being unfaithful). This was not intended to target any specific gender,” he clarified.
In response to the backlash on social media, Aniruddhacharya stood by his beliefs, asserting that there is nothing wrong with encouraging today’s youth to embody discipline and virtue.
“When we teach our daughters and sons to uphold loyalty and integrity, how can that be viewed as misguided? Should we advocate for characterlessness?” he questioned.
“Be it a girl or a boy, both should strive for virtue. What are parents teaching their children? Sons should avoid theft and negative influences. We've also emphasized that sons should remain faithful to their wives and daughters to their husbands...,” he stated. “My intention is to foster awareness in society, not to offend anyone,” he emphasized.
His clarification follows his earlier comments about how “girls used to marry at 14 and seamlessly integrate into families, but now 25-year-olds come after ‘dating multiple men...’” which triggered outrage from women's rights groups and activists.