Union Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Smriti Irani has ruled out legislating menstruation leaves. She said that periods are not a handicap and that they shouldn’t warrant a specific paid leaves policy.
The Minister's take has received both favourable and unfavourable responses. "Women are strong enough mentally as well as physically to work with equal dedication during menstruation. Paid leave and all would prove them weak and handicapped," a female Netizen opined.
But others don't agree with Irani. "I agree that menstruation doesn't require paid leaves but comparing it with a handicap is baseless. Even handicaps are not given paid leave unless it is related to health issues," a Netizen wrote.
Some women undergo extreme difficulty during periods. "When I was younger, I used to vomit the whole day because of severe pain. I have even fainted due to excessive pain and vomiting. Till today, I can't survive without painkillers. There are even studies that show period pain is as painful as a heart attack," a Netizen wrote, describing her harrowing experience.
