Want Condoms Too? Asks IAS Officer In Bihar When Girl Asks For Subsidized Sanitary Pads
By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2022-09-29 03:44:55
About the Author
It is surprising that some IAS officers, coming from an elite service and expected to deliver government schemes to the people and hence be sensitive to their needs, especially those of schoolchildren; do not have the patience or the sensitivity to deal with some situations. This was proved when IAS officer Harjot Kaur Bamhrah snapped at a girl for asking for subsidized sanitary pads from the government. She rebuked the girl for demanding things and said that these demands never end and they would next ask for subsidized jeans, shoes and even condoms for family planning. This was utterly insensitive and disgusting behaviour on Bamhrah's part.
Losing her cool in the situation shows that despite having come so far after getting through the tough UPSC exams and being posted in several departments, Bamhrah is not fit to be an IAS officer. She should have been aware that the event she was attending was titled "Sashakt Beti, Samridh Bihar" or strong or empowered daughters would ensure prosperous Bihar. Is the way daughters would be empowered? By mocking them? By rebuking them publicly for making valid demands? By shaming and traumatizing them? The Bihar government must take action against Bamhrah.
Further, for Bamhrah's information, demanding subsidized sanitary pads is not a crime or an unjustified demand. Many state governments have for long been providing free sanitary pads to a section of school girls in government schools. There is also a Central scheme, the Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS) to enable states to procure such napkins and provide them to girls at Rs 6 per pack of 6 under the National Health Mission. Maybe Bihar government is not doing so. If not, it should look into the girl's plea and start doing so. For, if poor girls get subsidized sanitary napkins in school, apart from savings, it will be a huge convenience for them.
