Ban on lipstick angers NCW

The National Commission for Women on Friday expressed "amazement" at some teachers in a Kolkata school being barred from taking classes for wearing lipstick.

NCW chairperson Dr Purnima Advani said the commission would take up the matter if approached by the concerned teachers. ''I am really amazed to learn about this matter. It's a right of every woman to wear lipstick, earrings or bindis...,'' she said.

The 'Banhoogly Girls High School' recently barred four teachers from taking classes for wearing lipstick. The school has also instructed teachers to not use eye-liners or wear long earrings to school.

''It's more important to develop the students' mindset. There can be objections against obscenity in the name of dressing up. But you can't put objections against things like wearing lipstick or ear rings," Dr Advani said.