It&rsquo;s 2025, and political discourse in India has hit a new milestone&nbsp;in the run up to Women&rsquo;s Day. In breaking news, politicians have discovered that&nbsp;men have bodies too, and are fat-shaming them.
For centuries, politicians have pioneered cutting-edge insults, from questioning ancestry to redefining IQ standards. Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed recently took a brave stand against one of India&rsquo;s greatest modern crises: Rohit Sharma&rsquo;s waistline. &ldquo;Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman!&rdquo; she declared, clearly unaware that his batting average, not his BMI, determines India&rsquo;s cricketing success.
Not one to let an opportunity for misplaced outrage go to waste, the BJP fired back&mdash;not by condemning body-shaming, but by taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi instead. Because why debate policies when you can debate who has the worst metabolism?
We have finally achieved equal-opportunity humiliation. For decades, weight, wrinkles, and wardrobe choices were largely reserved for scrutinizing women&mdash;whether politicians, journalists, or actresses. But now? Now even our male cricketing icons can&rsquo;t escape the crushing weight (pun intended) of public commentary. Are we witnessing a bold new era of bipartisan, gender-neutral body-shaming? Ah, the irony&mdash;a woman politician leading the charge in expanding the great Indian tradition of body-shaming.&nbsp;Is this the progress we were promised?&nbsp;
Experts say the signs were always there. From obsessing over female politicians&rsquo; sartorial choices to tracking male leaders&rsquo; beards with the intensity of an election results night, Indian politics has always been fixated on aesthetics. The only surprise? That it took them this long to realize men, too, are shameable.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma continues to be good at his job, winning matches and lifting trophies, blissfully unaware that his greatest crime was not failing as a captain, but failing to fit into a size M jersey.
Yes, Mohamed&rsquo;s comment about cricketer Rohit Sharma being a &ldquo;fat sportsman&rdquo; were distasteful, but the BJP&rsquo;s response&mdash;a jibe at Rahul Gandhi&mdash;only cemented one thing: In Indian politics, no insult is wasted if it can be weaponized.
Maybe, just maybe, it&rsquo;s time we ask our politicians to elevate the discourse beyond weight-related observations. After all, the real &lsquo;heavyweight&rsquo; issues are staring us in the face&mdash;unemployment, inflation, and governance, to name a few. But sure, let&rsquo;s talk about Rohit Sharma&rsquo;s body fat percentage instead.
Because, clearly, that&rsquo;s what&rsquo;s weighing the nation down.

Shama Mohamed and Rohit Sharma: Only one is a global sports icon

In Indian politics, no insult is wasted if it can be weaponized. Is this progress in 2025?

Body-Shaming: Now an Equal-Opportunity Sport?

In Indian politics, no insult is wasted if it can be weaponized. Is this progress in 2025?

March 3, 2025 | 11:57 IST