New Delhi: A number of well-known and progressive women’s organizations on Tuesday called for the cancellation of the 72nd Miss World Beauty Pageant, scheduled to take place in Hyderabad from May 7 to May 31. They criticized the BJP-led Union government for consistently allowing such obscene events. They stated that the commodification of women’s bodies must be stopped and that real empowerment should be ensured.
In a joint statement, they said that for decades, these pageants have been held in various countries around the world, often amid protests. In India too, in 1996, the Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited held the pageant in Bangalore amidst heavy protests. Activists of many women’s organizations were arrested in Bangalore during the protests. Eventually, the swimming pool round was shifted outside India. ABCL suffered monumental losses as the event became a very low-key affair due to poor attendance, with the majority of conscious citizens boycotting the show. This Miss World beauty pageant was held in Mumbai last year, returning to India after 28 years.
They said such events actually denigrate women’s dignity and modesty, turning them into commercial commodities.
“This is how capital devalues women—it turns their bodies into a commercial commodity. It lures girls to dream about a golden world of fame and recognition, but the real picture is dark and brutally exploitative. In India, with its semi-feudal culture, when the girls of our homes face sexual violence on roads, in workplaces, all fingers point at the girl—her dress, her face, the hour, her going out alone, her very existence. Under the guise of intellect and rights over the body, it is actually a trivialization of bodily autonomy. Rights over the body primarily mean control over one’s sexuality, and exposing body parts to exhibit before an audience gathered for this purpose, with the event being broadcast live worldwide, creates a false narrative of women empowerment. It simply serves to sell the products of large companies by objectifying women’s bodies.”
This year again, the pageant is being hosted in Telangana, Hyderabad. It is noteworthy that, under its Tourism Department’s slogan of “Telangana Zaroor Aana,” the Telangana Government has made a concerted effort to bring such a pageant to the state. It is ironic that a beauty pageant has been chosen to invite domestic and foreign tourists to showcase the state’s rich handloom heritage, wonderful tourist destinations, and rare cuisine. These specialties can be exhibited through other international exhibitions, conferences, or gatherings. There is no need to make Hyderabad a venue for this sort of objectionable contest where women are paraded. The 72nd Miss World beauty pageant will be held in Hyderabad from May 7, 2025, with the grand finale on May 31.
They stated that it is the BJP-led Union government that has repeatedly given permission for these events. This, they said, is a tragic yet clear revelation of what the Hindutva forces actually stand for when they assert themselves as cultural custodians. “They glorify the image of a mother going to work with her child tied to her back, but fail to enforce crèches, safe working hours, safe workplaces, safe streets, adequate clothing, minimum wages, or justice in cases of sexual violence at the workplace.”
They further criticized the Congress-led Telangana government, stating that hosting this event reflects its misguided ambitions—where young women from over 120 countries are paraded as exhibits, under the guise of empowerment.
They also slammed the Telangana government for failing to provide basic security to women, create employment schemes for women and youth, and for ignoring important areas such as education, health, and rural and urban development, all of which directly affect the lives of women in the state.
They demanded that both the central and state governments clarify the values and virtues for which they are organizing these beauty contests. They asserted that such contests are an affront to women’s self-esteem and shape women’s bodies and lives to cater to market demands, imposing unrealistic measurements and showcasing body parts.
“Governments mock the needs and aspirations of the women of our country and twist the meaning of empowerment and emancipation,” the statement said.
Women’s organizations in Telangana have already taken the lead against this beauty pageant, and the national women’s organizations have called upon their state units and all women’s organizations across the country to protest against it. They demanded that both the state and central governments immediately cancel the pageant.
The statement was released by the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), All India Mahila Sanskritik Sanghatan (AIMSS), All India Coordination of POW-PMS-IJM, All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA), and the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW).
