A video of an elderly Indian woman crying and demanding justice after she was kicked out of a bus for smelling like fish has sparked online backlash after going viral.
The fish vendor: Selvam, the 65-year-old fish vendor from Kanyakumari’s Vaniyakudi village, boarded a government bus on the way home on Dec. 6; however, the bus conductor forced her to deboard because of her fish odor, reported The Indian Express.
- She reportedly complained to the timekeeper, but he did not take action.
- A passerby recorded Selvam as she expressed her frustration. She cried and demanded justice against the discrimination she had faced.
- The now-viral video has caused backlash across the internet demanding authorities take action.
- In response, the Kanyakumari transport department suspended the bus conductor, driver and timekeeper. Kanyakumari District Deputy Director Jerolin also apologized to Selvam in person.
- The video also caught the attention of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who expressed his shock and disappointment on Twitter. His tweet, translated by News18, read: “I was shocked by the incident where a bus driver allegedly off-boarded a mother who was selling fish in the Kanyakumari district. At this time, when conductors across the State are effectively enforcing free travel for the advancement of women, this act of a conductor is reprehensible.”
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- “All of us should think and act with the broad mindset that all are equal. The discriminatory behavior of the bus conductor and driver has made netizens voice against the act,” he added.
Featured Images via TV9 Today
