A video from Telangana has gone viral and sparked widespread outrage online, showing local women appearing to wash the feet of Miss World contestants reportedly as part of a traditional ritual. While some claimed it was a cultural gesture, many netizens called it a "Nonsense act" reflecting the display of colonial practices.
"India may be free, but colonial hangover still is there. In Telangana, women washing Miss World contestants’ feet wasn’t tradition—it was a masterclass in colonial hangover and white worship. All in the name of culture," Sumit Jha, an X user and journalist posted. Soon, the voice resonated with many others online.
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Incident sparks outrage
The footage was widely circulated with the claim that local women knelt down and washed the contestants’ feet with their bare hands, but it turned out to be misleading. The visuals only showed the women pouring water into brass plates while the contestants rested their feet inside them. They did not physically touch or wash the contestants' feet. Also, towels were placed behind each chair, and most contestants wiped their own feet with them.
However, one contestant, dressed in a purple saree, appeared to hand a towel back to a local woman as if expecting her to wipe her feet. It is believed that this particular frame might have reignited anger online.
One user commented on the incident, "I think they only instructed to wash feet before entering the temple."
Another added, "I can see it very clearly — they are just pouring water, not touching their feet."
Yet, Jha pointed out, “First of all this 'act' of making them sit and wash there feet in brass plates should not have been there", echoing the prevailing sentiment.
As the video went viral, some called it a "Nonsense act", while another, wrote, "What the hell is this.."
BRS leaders react
As the video went viral, political parties also joined the talk.
Former Minister and senior BRS MLA P Sabitha Indra Reddy condemned the act and wrote, "Washing and wiping the feet of Miss World contestants with Telangana girls is a wicked, shameful and extremely despicable act. This government should apologize to the entire world of women (translated from Telugu)".
Reacting to the incident, BRS working president KT Rama Rao said, "Congress CM has officially lost his mind".
Another BRS leader, Y Sathish Reddy called it a "National Insult", and wrote, "The Telangana government made Indian women wash the feet of Miss World contestants and then wipe them with towels.
Is this women empowerment or royal servitude?".
