Indian Railways Forgets Their Own Rule, Calls Women Porters 'Coolies', Gets Schooled on Twitter

The Indian Railway Ministry is marking the oncoming Women's Day 2020 by posting about women employees in the field on their Twitter account. Each day the Twitter handle Ministry of Railways is putting up pictures with a small write up appreciating the women working in different departments. But looks like, they forgot their own rule about not using the word "coolie." While posting pictures of women carrying heavy luggage and appreciating their hard work, they wrote, "Working for Indian Railways, these lady coolies have proved that they are second to none !! We salute them !!" However, let us remind you, in the year 2016, it was decided to ban the word coolie and refer to them as "sahayak" (meaning helper in Hindi). Netizens haven't taken it kindly and schooled the Railway Ministry on Twitter. Indian Railways Not to Hire Women for Few Jobs Due to ‘Tough and Unfavourable’ Working Conditions.

Women's Day 2020 will be marked on March 8 and it's a day dedicated to celebrating womanhood and achievements of women from different fields. The Indian Railway Ministry is also marking the oncoming Women's Day by recognizing the women who have been working in different departments. From locomotives, control room, coaching depot to the laundry, they have been posting updates about women staff in railways. Yesterday, when they posted pictures of women carrying heavy luggage they referred to them as "coolies". The railways have banned the word as it was considered a racial slur in some regions and also to improve their status and also improve their working condition. However, the pictures tell a different tale and netizens have voiced the same concern. Meet Lakshmi, the Woman Coolie, At Bhopal's Railway Station.

Check Indian Railways' Tweet on Appreciating Women Porters:

Check How Netizens Reacted to These Pictures:

Don't Call Them Coolies

This Isn't Progress

The Job Needs to be Replaced

This is So Wrong

This Is Not Empowerment

Do Not Call Them Coolies

It is indeed sad that the Indian Railways thinks manual unskilled labour is empowering of women. It is not only about the women but even men, who have been forced to carry very heavy luggage as a means to earn money. Calling them as coolies is another degrading reference.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 05, 2020 09:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).