Smriti Irani slams critics of her comment on menstruating woman

NEW DELHI: Union minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday dismissed criticism over her comment + on menstruating women as "propaganda" and added that she is being used as a "bait".

Earlier today, the Union minister had landed in a soup for her comment saying that right to pray did not mean the right to desecrate.

Irani's comments came in the wake of widespread protests over the Supreme Court order authorising entry of women of all ages to the Sabarimala hill shrine.

"I am nobody to speak against the Supreme Court verdict as I am a serving cabinet minister. But just plain common sense is that would you carry a napkin seeped with menstrual blood and walk into a friend's house. You would not. And would you think it is respectful to do the same when you walk into the house of God? That is the difference. I have the right to pray, but no right to desecrate. That is the difference that we need to recognise and respect," Irani had said.


Later, the Union minister defended her statement, saying that as a Hindu woman married to a practising Zoroastrian, she too is not allowed to enter a fire temple to pray. Irani added that she completely respects the idea.

"I respect that stand by the Zoroastrian community/priests and do not approach any court for a right to pray as a mother of 2 Zoroastrian children. Similarly, Parsi or non-Parsi menstruating women irrespective of age DO NOT go to a Fire Temple," she tweeted.

Irani also responded to the people criticising her for her 'sanitary-napkin-seeped-in-blood' comment: "As far as those who jump the gun regarding women visiting friend’s place with a sanitary napkin dipped in menstrual blood — I am yet to find a person who ‘takes’ a blood-soaked napkin to ‘offer’ to anyone let alone a friend."