Divya Spandana slams Smriti Irani's sanitary pad remark, says 'nothing that comes out of vagina is to be ashamed of'

In a strong critique, social media in-charge and Congress leader Divya Spandana slammed Union Minister Smriti Irani for her comment on the Supreme Court verdict in the Sabarimala temple entry case. Irani, in a video gone viral, had said , “I have right to pray,but no right to desecrate. I am nobody to speak on SC verdict as I’m a serving cabinet minster. Would you take sanitary napkins seeped in menstrual blood into a friend’s home? No.Why take them into house of God?” Divya, in her tweet, mocked the Union Minister and said, “Nothing that comes out of the vagina is to be ashamed of. Can’t say the same about the mouth.”

Nothing that comes out of the vagina is to be ashamed of. Can’t say the same about the mouth. https://t.co/vAuTrJ9lsr

— Ramya/Divya Spandana (@divyaspandana) October 23, 2018

Irani, responding to the furore over her comments on “menstrual blood” amid the protests against women’s entry into the Sabarimala temple, on Tuesday said a propaganda was being launched using her as bait. Interestingly, before she responded to her “comment”, the Union minister had claimed that the video was "fake news" . In a series of tweets trying to clarify her comments, Irani said that as a practising Hindu married to a practising Zoroastrian, she is not allowed to enter a fire temple to pray, but she “respects that stand by the Zoroastrian community and priests” and “does not approach any court for the right to pray” as a mother of two Zoroastrian children. Similarly, Parsi or non-Parsi menstruating women, irrespective of age, do not go to a fire temple, she added. These “two statements are factual” and “the rest of the propaganda and agenda being launched using her as bait is just that”, the Union minister said. As far as those who jumped the gun regarding her remark on women visiting a friend’s place with a blood-soaked sanitary napkin are concerned, she said she has yet to find a person who “takes” such a sanitary pad to “offer” to anyone, let alone a friend. Irani added that what “fascinates” her — though she is not surprised — is that as a woman, she is “not free” to have her own point of view. “As long as I conform to the ’liberal’ point of view I’m acceptable. How liberal is that?” Irani asked.

Since many people are talking about my comments — let me comment on my comment.

As a practising Hindu married to a practising Zoroastrian I am not allowed to enter a fire temple to pray.

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) October 23, 2018

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.

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) October 23, 2018

These are 2 factual statements. Rest of the propaganda / agenda being launched using me as bait is well just that ... bait.

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) October 23, 2018

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 any one let alone a friend.

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) October 23, 2018

But what fascinates me though does not surprise me is that as a woman I am not free to have my own point of view. As long as I conform to the ‘liberal’ point of view I’m acceptable. How Liberal is that ??

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) October 23, 2018

According to several media reports, the Union textile minister was speaking at the “Young Thinkers” conference organised by the British High Commission and the Observer Research Foundation in Mumbai, when she made the remarks while speaking on the Sabarimala controversy, she had said that “ the right to pray did not mean the right to desecrate”.

“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 we need to recognise and respect,” Irani reportedly said at the event.However, once  reports on her remarks began to be widely shared , she took to Twitter to call it “fake news” and said she would clarify the statement soon.