Women are fragile, feminine, should be home at night: BJP MLA

Women are feminine and fragile and, therefore, should not bemade to work in night shift jobs, Goa BJP’s woman MLA Alina Saldanha said onFriday.

Saldanha, a former cabinet minister, also said that womenbelong in the home, especially during the nights, otherwise their children facehardship.

   

“Women are said to be feminine and femininity meansthey are fragile, compared to their counterparts. I don’t think it is fair thatthe lady should go through the hardship, having to work in the night,”Saldanha told the reporters outside the state legislative assembly complex onFriday.

Her comments come a day after former Chief MinisterChurchill Alemao told the state assembly that Goan women are”delicate” and therefore could not work on night shifts. He had alsosaid that non-Goan women are “fast”, triggering outrage.

Alemao was speaking during a brief debate on the Factories(Goa Amendment) Act, 2019, which allows women to work night shifts in factoriesand manufacturing units.

On Friday, Saldana said that she firmly believes that”ladies should be in their homes”, especially at night.

“They are mothers, they have so many responsibilitiesand the children are there. Without the mother, the children are lost in thehouse. They do not know what to do. The presence of the mother in the house isvery essential,” she said.

“Especially when children have to go to school, themother has to be there at home to get them ready for school the next day. Ifeel that women should not be made to work night shifts and I am sure theseflaws (in then amendment) will be considered,” Saldanha added.

When asked why she did not express her opposition to theamendment which was passed by a majority of 26-5, Saldanha said: “It isnot that I did not object, I am very sorry. I was busy writing down some pointson another issue and that’s how I missed it. In fact, I am very upset about it.It was a very short discussion, but I missed it”.

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