Reacting to Union Minister Smriti Irani's 'menstruation not a handicap' remarks strongly, the Telangana Legislative Council member K Kavitha on Friday said as a woman it is "appalling to see such ignorance". Adding that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader said denying paid leaves for menstruation days "ignores the genuine pain" of women.

ALSO READ: Menstruation No Handicap: Smriti Irani Rejects Paid Leave Policy For Women, Says 'Cases Are Manageable'

"Disheartened by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani Ji’s dismissal of menstrual struggles in Rajya Sabha. As a woman, it's appalling to see such ignorance, for our struggles, our journeys aren’t a consolation, it deserves a level playing field and that’s a non-negotiable," BRS leader Kavitha wrote on social media platform X. She also added that Menstruation isn't a choice; it's a biological reality.

"As a woman, it's disconcerting to see a lack of empathy for the genuine challenges women face and the fight we have to put up for everything. It’s high time to indeed bridge the gap between policy-making and reality with empathy and reason," KCR's daughter said.

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The Minister of Women and Child Development opposed the practice of paid menstrual leave for woman employees, arguing before the Rajya Sabha that menstruation is a natural part of life and shouldn't be treated as a handicap.

"As a menstruating woman, menstruation and the menstruation cycle is not a handicap, it’s a natural part of women’s life journey…We should not propose issues where women are denied equal opportunities just because somebody who does not menstruate has a particular viewpoint towards menstruation," Irani said.


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