Video: Smriti Irani says ‘she suffered a miscarriage on TV set’ amid row over paid menstrual leave at workplaces

Chandigarh, December 22

Union Minister Smriti Irani spoke about having a miscarriage on the sets of a TV show and how she had to return to the sets “two-three days after giving birth”.

She spoke about it amid controversy over the minister’s remarks in Parliament on mandatory paid menstrual leave for women at workplaces.

Earlier in Parliament, Irani had said “menstruation cycle is not a handicap”, that “menstruation is a physiological phenomenon”, and “only a small proportion of women/girls suffer (severe pain)”. Most of these cases could be “managed by medication”. This had triggered a debate on social media.

On a podcast hosted by ANI’s Editor Smita Prakash, Irani said: “When this paid menstrual leave controversy started, some lady, who claims to be from the industry, wrote, “Smriti Irani had it easy. She had a vanity van.” No, I had a miscarriage on set.”

“You know, I came back to work two-three days after giving birth. I had no birthing facilities in terms of feeding my baby. So between my studio and the place I lived, there was a 10-minute distance. So l would forego lunch breaks, water breaks and tea breaks just so that I could be with my baby. But I had no special facilities on set. But I know how much it mattered. We would work, let’s say, 12 hours… or we would sometimes go up to 16 hours of work. At that time, nobody would charge for one-and-a-half shifts. So we fought for that — to say if you’re working beyond a 10-hour shift, and if you’re working to make sure that girls have to work through the night, get them transports. I have done all that,” she said.