Overview

• A video showing Telangana women assisting Miss World contestants with a foot-washing ritual at the UNESCO-listed Ramappa Temple has gone viral, sparking widespread criticism.
• Opposition parties BJP and BRS condemned the act, calling it a colonial-era throwback and an insult to women’s dignity, while demanding an apology from the Congress government.
• The Telangana government defended the ritual as part of its 'Atithi Devo Bhava' tradition, emphasizing it as a mark of respect for international guests and local customs.
• BRS leaders alleged that marginalized women, including Dalit and tribal volunteers, were coerced into participating, framing the incident as a betrayal of Telangana’s self-respect ethos.
• Fact-checking clarified that the women poured water into brass plates without physically washing the contestants’ feet, countering some of the viral claims online.