For Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the BJP is the best political organisation for women to be part of.

Sitharaman, who made an appearance at the ongoing World Hindu Congress on Saturday, objected to the portrayal of women as “commodity” in media and sought self-regulation and discretion in exercising freedom of choice.

“Politics is like an open box which draws people from all streams, so let’s not make it into an exclusive business.

"There is no other party than the BJP for women to be in," said Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (pictured with activist Kiran Bedi, right) during the World Hindu Congress 2014 on Saturday

"Women are there and should continue to be there… and there is no other party than the BJP for women to be in,” she said, adding that women should be assertive and engage with everybody.

Former IPS officer and activist Kiran Bedi too supported the idea but went a step further and suggested that the contribution of women in India’s history should be included in school syllabus.

On the portrayal of women as commodity, the minister of state for commerce said, “You are encouraging a certain theme, a certain narrative, story, picturisation, where she’s made a commodity, where a woman is being projected as a doormat, and you are comfortably watching it.”

She added that the moment the government tries to come in, men and women will raise voices, “saying ‘Oh, moral policing!’”.

Sitharaman hinted at the need to change the mindset of viewers.

“Let’s not pretend. There is an audience for this. But if we are constantly asking the government what it’s doing about it, I want to ask what are we (the society) doing about those who are watching it?” she asked.

“The government will come in, but as long as we believe in the freedom of choice.

"I think it is for us (the society) more than the government to exert this freedom with a certain sense of discretion,” she added.

Highlighting the role of women in politics and mass movements like the Chipko Andolan, Sitharaman acknowledged that women have always contributed to every segment of the society and the country.

Modern women, she said, are multi-faceted and their participation in the country’s politics is significant.

Their documentation is necessary as “in the 21st century, some kind of narration is required”, she said.

Meanwhile, Bedi said the dream of a developed India can only be realised if its women are literate.