Union minister Smriti Irani, whose comments on Sabarimala protests drew a lot of flak, posted a dramatic photo on Instagram to imply that her critics were not allowing her to speak.
Irani posted a still from her TV show Kyunki... Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi that shows her gagged and tied up. The still was accompanied by the caption "#hum bolega to bologe ki bolta hai..." which loosely translates to "if I talk, you will accuse me of talking".
Kyunki... Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi was a soap that ran for almost 10 years and catapulted Irani to stardom.
Amid massive protests at Sabarimala by Hindu groups who stopped women of menstruating age from entering the temple despite a Supreme Court verdict allowing them to do so, Irani had made a remark that was criticised by many.
"I am nobody to speak against the Supreme Court verdict as I am a serving cabinet minister. But just plain common sense is that would you carry a napkin seeped with menstrual blood and walk into a friend's house. You would not.
"And would you think it is respectful to do the same when you walk into the house of god? That is the difference. I have the right to pray, but no right to desecrate. That is the difference that we need to recognise and respect," Irani had said.
It was later reported that Irani's remarks may have been based on reports by some right-wing websites that claimed some women would carry used sanitary pads into the temple.