Indian model-actor Milind Soman created buzz on social media recently after posting a nude photo of himself running on a beach in Goa on 4 November, his 55th birthday. Two days later, a police complaint was filed accusing him of obscenity.
On Friday, the Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM), a regional political party, filed a complaint with the Vasco police station against Milind, alleging that the nude man's photo, uploaded to his social media account, was "obscene" and was "spoiling the image and insulting the culture of Goa".
A GSM secretary, Vasco Samer Khutwalker, in the police filing, complained that, "On 4th November 2020, Milind Soman celebrated his 55th birthday, in an indent[sic], obscene, vulgar manner by running nude on a beach in Goa, thereby creating sensational news on social media for cheap publicity."
Some netizens echoed Khutwalker's sentiment, demanding action against Milind and drawing a similarity with Poonam Pandey’s incident as a means of attempting to highlight double standards for those lauding him for his physique and making fun of his post.
Why there is no complaint on Milind Soman for running naked on the Goa beach.
— shaikh sharjil (@beingsharjil) November 5, 2020
Law depends on the person gender? https://t.co/uAhzJAxCUo
#PoonamPandey & #MilindSoman both stripped down to their birthday suits in #Goa recently. Pandey partly, Soman completely. Pandey is in legal trouble--for obscenity. Soman is being lauded for his fit body at age 55. I guess we are kinder to our nude men than to our nude women. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/qQ9UFQIYXJ
— Apurva (@Apurvasrani) November 4, 2020
#MilindSoman was praised for Fitness at age 55,Not for Titilation.
— Gender Inequal INDIA (@IndiaGender) November 6, 2020
•Women's wing of #Goa Forward Party filed complaint, not men.
•Male cop allowed #PoonamPandey's vid shoot- Suspended.
•Other people r visible in her vid,Not his.
Blaming men for women's belief is #feminism.⬇️ https://t.co/ADQTkAJNK8 pic.twitter.com/bZpBgo8xXG
While #MilindSoman's nude picture was celebrated as body goals, #PoonamPandey was at the receiving end of the misogynistic and disgraceful comments for shooting a video. We need to stop having double standards when it comes to the male and female bodies.#Yuvaa pic.twitter.com/ejhiOXhmlu
— Yuvaa (@weareyuvaa) November 6, 2020
Why no complaint against Milind Soman? Was it a private beach?
— Chaitanya parve (@c_parve) November 4, 2020
Ans - In men dominated society, women are only and wholly responsible for cultural sanity.
Ps- Not supporting obscenity here.#hypocrisy pic.twitter.com/RRxHolejhD