Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor's wife Mira Rajput received a
lot of criticism lately for her comments on working mothers at an event in
March. She had told, "I wouldn’t want to spend one hour a day with my
child and rush off to work. Why did I have her? She is not a puppy, you know. I
want to be there for her as a mother, seeing her grow up has, cannot be
quantified."
When Mira was questioned about her comments and the hate she
received for them, she told to a famous tabloid, "I was just speaking my
mind, my intention was not to offend or hurt anyone. Could I have chosen my
words better? Maybe. But I am not a seasoned actor and I don't know how to be
politically correct. I was speaking for a section of women who aren't given
their due. For that matter, I don't think financial independence is the only
yardstick to measure feminism. Women who stay at home and take care of the
children or work from home deserve to be celebrated as much. They are also
feminists in their own right because they have chosen their lives... even if
they have not, they are giving it their all. My mom balanced her career and
motherhood. There was never a time when I felt that she was not around. That's
the essence of what I was trying to say. I don't want to cross the fine line
between independence and negligence. The Bill on six months paid maternity
leave was passed recently and it's to enable a woman to spend time with her
baby. It's not just for physical recovery; had that been the case, adoptive
mothers wouldn't have been eligible for it. It's to nurture the bonding between
a mother and her child. That's all that I meant."
Many sections of women believed her remarks were insensitive
to working mothers. On this, Mira told, "Opinion is the fulcrum of the
society. Everyone should have one, but people should also have the discretion
to not shove it down somebody else's throat. My intention was not to belittle
working women, but I don't want homemakers belittled either. There was a lot of
flak, but that's their opinion. I was just voicing mine."
On how she handled the criticism, Mira disclosed, "It
was tough, but I had Shahid (Kapoor) by my side. He said, `It's okay and it
happens.' Also, I prefer looking at the positive side of things."
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