Indian feminists have been lazy of late. Not one of them has jumped into the unsavoury commentary over the wife of Narendra Modi, the man tipped to be the country’s next prime minister when the results of the general election are announced on May 16.

This is a debate steeped in the malevolent misogyny that many Indians hoped would never be seen again after the Delhi gang rape more than a year ago. But here it is again, this time cloaked as praise. But do not be deceived by the kind words expressed about Jashodaben Chimanlal Modi.

She is the woman who had an arranged marriage with Mr Modi when they were both teenagers in Gujarat, the state that Mr Modi rules.

Soon into the marriage, Mr Modi, the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, told his wife that he would pursue public life. Since he saw no place for her in this life, he urged Mrs Modi to return to her parents’ home and resume her studies. She acquiesced and has lived in obscurity for 45 years, working as a village schoolteacher.

Now retired, little was known of her because Mr Modi had never publicly acknowledged her. But the poor woman has been dragged into the media glare because Mr Modi wrote ''married'' on the nomination papers he had to submit as a candidate. In four previous elections, on filing his nomination papers, Mr Modi had left the question of his marital status blank.