New Delhi. Amidst the uproar in Parliament over security breach, the issue of giving leave to women during menstruation was raised during Question Hour in Rajya Sabha. Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said that this is not a disability. In this context, there is no need for any policy to give leave to women during menstruation.
In response to a question asked by RJD MP Manoj Jha in the Rajya Sabha during the question hour on Wednesday, he said, ‘We should not propose any issue where women are deprived of equal opportunities just because the one who does not menstruate should not menstruate. Jha said that in the early 1990s, Bihar became the first state to give leave during menstruation. After that Kerala also followed the same path. The RJD MP asked the minister what has been done regarding giving mandatory paid leave to women during menstruation.
In response to this, Irani said that menstruation is a natural process. Only a few women have to face complications in those days. In most cases, there is generally no significant problem.
She said that being a woman who menstruates, I can say that menstruation and its cycle is not a disability. It is a natural part of a woman’s life journey. Since women today are looking for more and more economic opportunities, I would like to give my personal opinion on this.
In fact, there has been a demand for a long time that women should be given mandatory leave during menstruation. However, this idea is also opposed saying that this will make employers reluctant to hire women and compulsory leave will go against the interests of women.
