The Opposition parties in Maharashtra on Wednesday said that the state government’s initiative to introduce female attendants, or “Shivneri Sundari”, on e-Shivneri buses operating between Mumbai and Pune is a “perverted and misogynistic idea”.
On Tuesday, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation announced the “Shivneri Sundari” initiative, stating that it would offer “enhanced hospitality services” modelled after in-flight services. “Passengers will receive high-quality assistance at no extra cost,” it stated.
The decision came after a meeting of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation under the leadership of its chairperson Bharat Gogavale, The Indian Express reported. Public Relations Officer Abhijit Bhosle said that the process to implement the initiative was yet to start.
Responsibilities of a “Shivneri Sundari” would include providing travel-related information to passengers and assisting them with basic amenities such as water, newspapers and magazines, The Times of India reported.
The female attendants would also be equipped with a first aid kit to offer basic medical assistance to passengers and ensure the cleanliness of the bus, according to the newspaper.
Opposition leaders criticised the state government after the initiative was announced.
In a social media post, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that the idea of “Shivneri Sundaris” serving passengers to “enhance the travel experience of passengers” was “highly perverted and misogynistic”.
Her party colleague Anand Dubey said that the state government should focus on improving basic services on buses instead of comparing them to aircraft, India Today reported.
“The condition of the buses needs attention,” he said. “Passengers want to reach their destinations on time, not experience hotel-like services.”
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar said that the “priorities a government sets reflect its attitude and wisdom”.
In a social media post, the Karjat-Jamkhed MLA said that “there is a need to focus on improving the condition of ST [state transport] buses, providing better infrastructure to both ST employees and passengers to enhance their lives”.
“It is due to such irrational and whimsical policies of this government that Maharashtra is suffering,” he said.
However, Sanjay Shirsat, a leader of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction, claimed that the Opposition was criticising the move “without reason”, India Today reported.
“We’re investing in new buses and improving the ST Corporation,” he said. “If women are gaining employment, what’s the harm?”
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