MTV: Backlash over Arunachal model’s views on women’s condition in state

Amid all the celebration over two northeast women making it to one of India’s coveted modeling contests, former Miss Arunachal has landed herself in a controversy.

Roshni Dada allegedly made ‘false’ statements on women’s freedom and male child preferences in Arunachal Pradesh. State students’ organisations were among the first to take notice and criticise her for the utterance. 

Roshni Dada, a resident of East Kameng’s Jeju Dada village, is the first woman from Arunachal Pradesh to make it to the popular reality TV show – ‘MTV Supermodel of the Year: Season 2’. After winning the ‘Miss Arunachal’ title in 2019, she had also represented the state in the FBB Colors Femina Miss India the same year.

“Our former @MissArunachal @roshni_dada has scripted history by being d first girl from the state to participate in the popular TV show @MTV Supermodel of the Year which is being aired on MTV,” tweeted Miss Arunachal Organization via its official Twitter handle.

Meanwhile, another post was doing rounds on social media platforms that caught the attention of people from Arunachal and completely flipped the scenario. “Please apologize for your immature statement,” read a post by an All Monpa Students’ Union (AMSU) – Amsu Monyul, demanding an apology from her on Facebook. According to the post, the students’ body was happy and proud that the former beauty pageant winner participated in the MTV show, but were saddened by some ‘facts’ shared by her.

They sympathised with the difficulties she might have faced growing up but were critical of the way she portrayed the position of women in Arunachal’s society, where women are said to rule. 

“Women having no freedom in Arunachal. Men preferring male children and even height of saying that there is no freedom of fashion photography etc. It’s very shocking being a former Miss Arunachal where she enjoyed all the rights of being a free girl, allowing her to become the Miss Arunachal once saying women have no freedom in these fields. We really condemn her ill statements about our state given on a national channel and she should apologise for this immature statement,” read the Facebook post.

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Women in Arunachal are given more freedom, which according to the student body, is evident by the women’s commission in Arunachal asking for property rights for their non-APST children and husband’s property security.

“Arunachal is a real paradise for women, then how come a former Miss Arunachal gave this kind of ill statement which hurt the people of our state.”

Netizens, however, seemed divided on the issue. While some tweeted in support of the supermodel, others backed AMSU’s demand for a public apology.

“More power to #Roshnidada on talking about polygamy and male child preference in our society on a huge stage! Whatever she spoke about i have personally witnessed each one of it,” tweeted Tang Camdir in Roshni’s support.

“Roshni dada speaking about polygamy and patriarchy in the tribal society. Also how a male child is always preferred in our society,” tweeted another user who goes by the name @HChrips on the micro-blogging platform.

Tenzing Dhargey, Vice President of All Monpa Students Union and former President of the All Tawang Youth Association also sought an apology from Roshni Dada on twitter. “I condemn former Miss Arunachal Roshni Dada’s false statement on Women freedom & male child preferences in Arunachal and seek apology from her,” he tweeted.