Karnataka: Congress MLA Nayana faces online abuse for 'western-like' dressing

Days after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah warned of stringent action against moral policing and online abuse, Nayana Mottamma, one of the newly elected Congress MLAs from Karnataka’s Chikkamagalur, has been subjected to social media vilification for “her western-like dressing style”.

There have been taunts about her costumes, such as swimsuits, with some posts asking her “to dress like an Indian”.

Nayana, 43, is a corporate lawyer and entrepreneur by profession. She is currently serving as General Secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

The trouble started after she won the election by trouncing the BJP candidate by 700 votes in Mudigere, a BJP bastion otherwise. Nayana’s private photos and videos with modern attire and swimsuits became an issue with the troll army.

Unrattled, Nayana told The Federal, “Those idiots who don’t know the difference between politics, me, myself, and my personal life. Shouldn’t it be normal to be a politician? Why live with a mask? Politicians mean they too are as normal as anyone else. I go to Goa sometimes. Can you wear a sari there?”

“As a lawyer, I believe in the rule of law and have tried to uphold the values of our Constitution. I entered politics to uplift my community in the spirit of equality and social justice,” said Nayana.

“I have registered a complaint with the Chikkamagalur SP and asked them to take action against the culprits who have shared videos and images defaming me,” she said.

Close bonding with Gandhi family

Nayana is the first-time MLA from Mudigere reserved constituency in the Chikkamagalur district, a BJP stronghold for decades.

It was Chikkamagalur which gave former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1978 a cause to cheer when Rai Bareli, her favourite constituency, spurned her in the wake of the Emergency. Nayana is the daughter of Motamma, who Indira Gandhi handpicked to contest from the Mudigere constituency in that election.

The bonding of the Motamma family with the Gandhi family and the Congress runs deep. Motamma is a senior Congress leader and former leader of the Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Council. She was also a minister. She is a three-time MLA and two-time MLC and ex-Congress Working Committee member.

Progressive thinkers back Nayana

Nayana has found wide support from progressive thinkers, women activists and writers.

“I have noticed some comments insulting MLA Nayana Motamma personally. This is the result of despair and sexual perversion. All these are perverts who want to prevent women from entering public life. They don’t see men’s misdeeds. Nayana has all our support, and I strongly condemn those who insulted her,” writer and scholar Prof Purushottam Bilimale told The Federal.

Kananda actor and activist Chetan Ahimsa said the police should take strict action.

“The patriarchal system is victimising all women in India to varying degrees and women who rise to high positions of power confront it publicly. Congratulations to the legislator who stood firm,” he said.

Nayana is married to Bikash Jhawar, a partner at ‘Saraf and Partners,’ a leading law firm in Mumbai. She is an alumnus of the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru with a BA LLB (Honours) and she did her Masters of Law from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.ter Chief Minister Siddaramiah warned of stringent action against moral policing and online abuse, Nayana Mottamma, one of the newly elected Congress MLAs from Karnataka’s Chikkamagalur, has been subjected to social media vilification for “her western-like dressing style”.