‘Was she menstruating?’ TVK minister’s absence from Vijay’s UK trip invites sexist remarks from DMK | India News
NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu industries minister S Keerthana was subjected to sexist remarks by DMK which was questioning her absence from chief minister C Joseph Vijay’s recent London visit. The remarks by DMK leader Vaishnavi has triggered a political controversy.Vijay travelled to London to flag off actor Ajith Kumar’s car race and seek fresh investments for Tamil Nadu. Keerthana, whose portfolio places her at the centre of the state’s investment-promotion efforts, was not part of the delegation.Reacting to Keerthana’s absence, Vaishnavi referred to TN minister Aadhav Arjuna’s statement that the industries minister had not travelled for “4 days due to health reasons” and questioned the reference to the four days.“Industrial minister has not come for 4 days due to health reasons, says Aadhav Arjuna! What is the explanation regarding those “4 days”? If it refers to a natural physiological change that occurs for women, like menstruation, then why should it be stated as the reason?” Vaishnavi said.She added, “Today’s women athletes consider menstruation as a normal physiological process and plan their training and competitions accordingly. Doesn’t even this basic understanding of women’s physiology exist for a minister who oversees the sports sector?”Vaishnavi also questioned whether the actual reason for Keerthana’s absence had been clearly communicated, saying, “Especially, clearly informing the public about the real reason for a minister not attending an event is the transparent approach.”She further asked, “What is the real reason for industrial minister not coming? Will Aadhav Arjuna clarify?”Amid the controversy, TVK leader Kanimozhi Santhosh came out in support of Keerthana and said the minister had been recovering from a collarbone surgery when she missed the London visit.“As a woman, I want to say this because I witnessed it myself. I met my thangai minister Keerthana at Kamatchi Hospital after her collarbone surgery. Doctors had advised around 20 days of rest, but within 4 days she was back at work because of her commitment to the state,” Santhosh said.She said Keerthana continued to coordinate Vijay’s London visit even while recovering in hospital.“Even while she was at hospital bed, she was coordinating the chief minister’s London visit. Her first question every single day wasn’t about her pain or her tablets; it was whether every company and every arrangement was on time. I told her to relax, she wouldn’t,” Santhosh said.Taking aim at those who questioned the reason for Keerthana’s absence, Santhosh said, “And what struck me most is this: when minister Aadhav Sir said she was unwell for a few days, the opposition ecosystem didn’t pause to ask about what was the reason, or recovery, or what she may have actually gone through. Their minds went straight to one reason: menstruation.”“That reflex, that a woman’s absence can only ever mean one thing, says nothing about her and everything about your regressive mindset. Women are not defined by their cycles. We are leaders, professionals, mothers, daughters carrying illness, injury and duty all at once, and still showing up. Reducing a woman’s every unexplained day to her biology is an old habit of attacking a woman’s body when her work can’t be faulted,” she added.
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Santhosh said Keerthana returned to work despite still recovering from the surgery.“4 days after, still recovering, on painkillers and still wearing a bandage, she went straight back to meeting companies and signing MoUs, one after another, without a pause,” she said.“This regressive mindset needs to stop. We should be celebrating women who continue to lead through difficult circumstances, not discussing their cycles. Women deserve better than this. Tamil Nadu deserves better than this,” Santhosh said.She concluded by apologising to Keerthana for making her medical condition public, saying, “Sorry Keerthana, I know you wanted to keep this private but I had to post this.”
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