‘ Can’t take used sanitary pads to friend’s home’
Right to pray, but no right to desecrate, says Union mantri on Sabarimala issue
As the debate surrounding the Supreme Court order allowing entry of women of all ages into K er ala’ s Sabarimala temple rages on, Union textile minister Smriti Irani indirectly supported the side that is against women entering the shrine, declaring that “everyone has the right to pray, but not to desecrate”.
The 42- year- old minister, who was speaking at a conference in the city on Tuesday, said, “Would you take sanitary napkins seeped in menstrual blood and walk into your friend’s home? You would not. And would you think it is respectable to do the same when walking into the house of God? It is plain common sense.”
Would you take sanitary napkins steeped in menstrual blood and walk into your friend’s home? You would not. And would you think it is respectable to do the same and when walking into the house of God?
Smriti Irani,
— Union minister
As the debate surrounding the Supreme Court order allowing entry to women of all ages to Kerala’s Sabarimala temple rages on, Union textile minister Smriti Irani indirectly supported the side that is against women entering the shrine, declaring that “everyone has the right to pray, but not to desecrate’.
The 42- year- old minister, who was speaking at a conference in the city on Tuesday, said, “Would you take sanitary napkins steeped in menstrual blood and walk into your friend’s home? You would not. And would you think it is respectable to do the same and when walking into the house of God? It is plain common sense.” She added, “I believe I have the right to pray but I don’t have the right to desecrate. And this is the difference that we need to recognise and respect.”
Citing an example from her personal life, the minister said she had to stand outside fire temples as she is prohibited from entering them. “I am a practising Hindu married to a Zoroastrian. I have to ensure that both my kids are practising Zoroastrians, who can go to the fire temple and pray. When I took my newborn son to the fire temple, I would give him to my husband at the temple entrance and wait outside because I was shooed away and told not to stand there.”
The row over the women entering the temple was kicked up after the Supreme Court, headed by then- Chief Justice Dipak Misra lifted the ban on entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine on September 28.