My first response was to laugh. And then I was overcome by horror and disbelief. Here was a responsible senior minister actually cracking crude jokes on the floor of Kerala Assembly while replying to a question on infant deaths in Attapady, which happens to be in his own home district. The stark immunity of those in high places to the painful everyday experiences of disadvantaged women came into focus. And the abominable attitude of alpha males towards pregnancy, childbirth and infant mortality was highlighted in its inhuman and ugly form. The essence of the question asked by N. Shamsudeen, Mannarkkad MLA, was this: Are you aware that there have been four infant deaths in Attapady in the last three months?
The minister’s answer educed deaths to mere numbers. “One was abortion (how an abortion can be termed as an infant death is beyond my imagination!), another had a valve problem….” He went on to add, “I am not responsible for the pregnancies during your tenure.” Is the honourable minister responsible for the subsequent pregnancies, one may ask. Not satisfied with this offensive remark he continued, “If a woman becomes pregnant she will not deliver within four months.” This was not merely insensitive and anti-woman, it was derisive. Moreover, one would have expected a man who has a doctor wife to know the difference between abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth and infant death.
The mirth of the legislators was even more galling. The laughter was followed by a mild uproar but it quickly subsided. The CM laughed but soon covered his mouth. Women MLAs did not raise even a whisper. The Opposition missed a great opportunity to deride the government and call for the minister’s resignation. Nobody asked the erring minister to withdraw his remarks. A day or two passed before the social media went berserk and TV channels debated the issue. The minister responded with a long-winding Facebook post, listing out his contributions to the adivasi community, tellingly titled “criticize but don’t insult”. Did you not insult all women, Mr. ‘Culture’ minister? And didn’t you pick on the weakest ones who can never hit back at you?
The minister’s derisive remarks on pregnancy and childbirth amount to equating these bodily functions with the unintended consequence of sexual pleasure. His indifference to children is appalling, to say the least. “Four have died”. The least he could have done is to say “Four children have died,” and express a small word of regret, however insincere or clichéd. I can’t help wondering if the minister would have made the same remarks if there were dozens of women legislators in the house. I’m sorely disappointed that the younger legislators didn’t raise any serious objections
Comrade A.K. Balan has a fair sense of humour. But would he have felt the same way if one of the four deaths had occurred in his own family? In 21st century Kerala, four child deaths in three months don’t matter? And what does it matter if the cause of death is malnutrition or something else? Why is the Government burying its head in the statistical quicksand?
If you are the bereaved mother, your only response would be “Why did my child have to die?” An apology from the minister to the women of Kerala in general and the bereaved mothers in particular is long overdue. Are you awake, Madam Brinda Karat? The world has changed, Comrade Balan! Referring to women’s bodily functions is no longer cool. You see, some of the world’s most powerful nations are headed by women. Theresa May heads Britain, Angel Merkel leads both Germany and the European Union, and if Hillary Clinton gets to head the world’s leading superpower it will be partly because a cocksure Donald Trump once bragged about his sexual exploits.
(Pushpa Kurup is a writer and IT professional)
