Re need to congratulate our dear Chief Minister for the presentation of his maiden budget. But, for some reason best known to him, the menstruating maidens of this State are grossly ignored. Period.
Yes, sanitary napkins are going to become dear. This is probably to compensate for the iron ore export revenue not considered in the budget! And if water is going to become dearer, then chill, drink barrels of beer. Hic, hic, beer too is going to become dear, then dear me, we will have to make do with petrol which is comparatively lower and cheaper as compared to other states. Cheers.
When economists shake hands with ecologist and maybe sociologists as well, we can hopefully draw up a balanced budget?. That’s a debate reserved for another day. My primary concern is about a species that is going to be extinct in a couple of decades namely women. It’s about a society, that condemns it’s menstruating women, restricting and prohibiting her mobility, her personal hygiene and her well being. It’s systematic strategizing in the name of religion, culture and tradition to de-humanize her.
Ours is a very hypocritical lot, we do not talk about sex, but we do practice it a lot. We do not want daughters but we aspire to get the best daughter- in- law. We do not want our women to expose themselves but we can hardly miss an opportunity to strip them – be it visually, virtually, literally.
Of course, our men are liberal they don’t mind at all in indulging in pre-marital and extra-marital affairs, however by and large they are very particular about having a virgin for a wife.
So are we concerned about our women, their needs and wants? When the entire world is waking up and showing concern about their women folk, why is our so called educated and modern state so biased towards it’s women’s need?
In 2013-14 Budget, the then Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, had announced, “In order to ensure personal hygiene among adolescent girls and women, it is essential that the price of sanitary napkins be lowered.” Looks like it was a different era altogether. Suddenly, our lot today is jettisoned in the Palaeolithic Yuga, where we go back to use of leaves, foliage and the like, to deal with the so called or rather whispered ‘monthly curse’.
Of late, there is a realization that we seem to survive on a diet of slogans. Jingles that promise the moon. For instance we have, Sabka Saat, Saab Ka Vikas, ‘Beti bachav, beti padav’. But, the ground reality is – as per studies 23% of girls drop out of education once they start menstruating. Approximately 70% of all reproductive diseases in India are caused by poor menstrual hygiene – it can also affect maternal mortality.( http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26260978). Thus, in this hypothetical race to success, the womenfolk seem to be tagging along with little or no say.
