My first response is to quote the Biblical verse, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Frankly the present people know well what they are doing and what they can gain from)
The irony and hypocrisy of our people(especially the so-called liberal intelligentsia and the equality-promising Leftists) that I see, makes me wonder how easily these people make fools of us. I am not at all able to digest.
It was these same people who were ridiculing and calling orthodox and uncivilized the earlier generation and (some still following) the practice of practically giving' home leave of 3 days' for the women by keeping them out of kitchen cooking jobs, doing poojas etc. The explanation that the tradition of keeping them 'out' (of daily works at home and avoidable outside travel )was actually intended to give them real rest, was pooh-poohed as male chauvinistic, caste-ist, barbaric and against gender equality.
Again, it was the same people who clamoured for allowing menstruating women to temples, especially Sabarimala. One self-claimed 'swami' was preaching that women can enter temples even during menses days. Mind you, he is a solid leftist supporter of the present Kerala LDF.
Now the same people are asking and even chest-beating about the menstrual leave!!! What an irony! What a hypocrisy! Where is the sense of gender neutrality adamancy which they strongly advocated for gender-neutral uniform in schools?
Let these people understand the traditional wisdom and stand that physically and psychologically God or nature has made men and women differently. Nature or God has a real purpose for that. Hence there will be; (and should be;) differences in behaviour, food habits, certain capacities, responses, tolerances and treatment of men and women.
The talk of gender equality while giving women all kinds of one-sided favour and reservations but giving equal salary and wages, is just an eye wash and blatant hypocrisy. It is nothing but vote-collection politics.
I say it is for women to understand and expose this hypocrisy and double stand of these opportunistic exploiter people in real life.
Those who are familiar with the many many cases of women abuse of various types reported in Malayalam and Kerala media can understand that the culprits are a good number from the same people or parties which outwardly stand for women's protection and women's rights. Some of those who were arrested or charge-sheeted (many are roaming free uncaught due to political and financial clout) were in the forefront of women empowerment renaissance programmes. What an irony, self-proclaimed protectors becoming predators!!
I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Real equality, right and empowerment of women is actually by giving them preferential treatment, respect and regard as a women. That was there in our country till a couple of decades back. The neo-liberalists and hypocrite-gende- neutralists came and spoiled that and now they are trying to 're-discover'' it in some other way, but haphazard and half-baked way.
It will be honest and open if they better admit their past adamant wrongs and declare that our country's past glorious tradition was correct and scientific. We 'Bharathvaasis' people are magnanimous enough to forgive you.
PS: 1.I would like to see how the safety napkin manufacturers respond to this as it was they who were claiming and ensuring safe normal three days with their napkins. Now they will face business slump due to menstrual leave coming everywhere.
2.Who can ensure that the menstrual leave facility is used as intended and not misused as many other women favoured facilities?
