Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday posted a selfie with six women MPs on Twitter with a caption: “Who says the Lok Sabha isn’t an attractive place to work?” This caption prompted controversy with internet users accusing him of sexism.

However, soon after facing backlash for his tweet, Tharoor apologised for offending “some people” and said the “whole selfie thing” was done at the women MPs’ initiative in “great good humour and it was they who asked me to tweet it in the same spirit”.

Tharoor posted a picture of himself with Supriya Sule, Preneet Kaur, Thamizhachi Thangapandian, Mimi Chakraborty, Nusrat Jahan Ruhi and Jyothimani.

His tweet sparked controversy with many accusing him of “sexism” and “objectification”.

Reacting sharply, National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma tweeted, “you are demeaning their contribution in parliament and politics by making them an object of attraction. Stop objectifying women in parliament”.

“Incredible that someone, as exposed to equality discourse, as @ShashiTharoor would attempt to reduce elected political leaders to their looks, and centre himself in the comment to boot. This is 2021, folks, ” tweeted Karuna Nandy, a Supreme Court advocate.

Responding to Nandy’s tweet, badminton player and Arjuna awardee Jwala Gutta tweeted, “not really Karuna. I think we need to take a few things on a lighter note..and not see everything with a magnifying glass..And this was a compliment to all the women in the Parliament which is generally stereotyped!! just my opinion.”

Commenting on Tharoor’s remark, a Twitter user said, “women in the Lok Sabha are not decorative items meant to make your workspace ‘attractive’. They are parliamentarians and you are being disrespectful and sexist.”

No man seems to be beyond casual everyday sexism, another netizen said.

After the online backlash, Tharoor tweeted, “the whole selfie thing was done (at the women MPs’ initiative) in great good humour & it was they who asked me to tweet it in the same spirit.” “I am sorry some people are offended but I was happy to be roped into this show of workplace camaraderie. That’s all this is,” the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said.

However, TMC MP Mahua Moitra defended Tharoor and tweeted “not surprised that a bunch of ugly trolls attacking @ShashiTharoor on a non-issue to detract attention from this non-attractive government’s decision to not allow a discussion on the farm act repeal.

Soon after the clarification tweet, Karuna Nandy hit back at him saying: “It minimises women in politics or aspiring to politics, Dr. Tharoor, and seems to make attractiveness the criteria. Intention isn’t the point here.”

“Comments on women’s looks reduce electability, there are studies on this on ky TL. It’s a mistake and can be acknowledged as such :),” the Supreme Court lawyer said.