'Will Ensure No Political Party Trolls Women': BJP's Khushboo Sundar After Nomination As NCW Member

Soon after her appointment as the NCW chief, Sundar said that her first step would be to encourage women to speak out against trolling and online bullying.

Khushboo Sundar said that as a member of the NCW, her first awareness programme would be to urge women to speak out.

BJP leader and actor-turned-politician Khushbu Sundar has been nominated as a member of India's National Commission for Women (NCW) for three years. Soon after her appointment, Sundar said that her first step would be to encourage women to speak out against trolling and online bullying.

"My first awareness programme would be to urge women to speak out. Only then can we fight," she said. Sundar, who is a member of the BJP's national executive committee, announced her appointment on social media. 

"Social media is not what the complete society represents. There are few people who find sadistic pleasure in shaming & trolling women. Most of these men and even women never come forward with their original identities. They are cowards," she was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Khushbu Sundar was congratulated by Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai, who praised her "relentless pursuit and fight" for women's rights.

Sundar expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government for entrusting her with such a significant responsibility and pledged to protect and nourish 'nari shakthi (women's power)', which is "growing under Modi's leadership". 

Sundar had previously been associated with the DMK and Congress parties before joining the BJP and running in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, where she was defeated by the DMK's N Ezhilan. Sundar is one of three nominees for the NCW position. The others are Mamta Kumari from Jharkhand and Delina Khongdup from Meghalaya.

"In pursuance of Section 3 of the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 (20 of 1990), the Central Government hereby nominates the following persons as Members in the National Commission for Women (NCW) for a period of three years for the date of assumption of charge, or till the age of 65 years or until further order, whichever is earliest: (i) Mrs Mamta Kumari (ii) Smt Delina Khongdup (iii) Ms Khusboo Sundar," the official order shared by Sundar read.

"Some political parties find it comfortable to abuse women. Since NCW is a government body and not a part of any political party, I will take that [issue of women's abuse] personally and ensure no political party trolls or body-shames any woman on any platform," she said.

Khushbu Sundar, a political leader from Chennai started out with the DMK, but later joined the Congress. She eventually swithched to the BJP and rose to become a member of the national executive of the saffron party.