‘Do you have separate toilets at home?’: IAS officer on boys sneaking into girls’ toilets

"I am known to be one of the most vociferous champion of women rights and empowerment," Bhamra reportedly said after the video went viral on social media.

At an event in Patna, Bihar on Tuesday, IAS officer Harjot Kaur Bhamra displayed a bad temper to questions related to girls’ hygiene.

Bhamra, who is also Principal Secretary, Women and Child Welfare, was talking at a workshop on ‘Sashakt Beti, Samriddh Bihar’ (Empowered Daughters, Prosperous Bihar) when a girl from the slums asked her a question regarding the easy accessibility of sanitary pads.

“Can the government give sanitary pads at ₹ 20-30?” the girl asked.

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A visibly irritated Bhamra replied, “Tomorrow you’ll say the government should give jeans too. And why not some beautiful shoes. Eventually, the demands will come down to family planning and condoms.”

The shocked girls on the stage did not want to let go of Bhamra’s reply. They reminded her that it is the people’s vote that makes or breaks a government. Bhamra replied, “Then don’t vote. Become Pakistan. Do you vote for money and services?”

“Why should I go to Pakistan? I am an Indian,” shot the teenager back at Bhamra.

The conversation was largely in Hindi. Interestingly, the tagline of the workshop read: ‘Towards enhancing the value of girls’. The workshop was organised by the state’s Women and Child Development Corporation in partnership with UNICEF and other organisations.

Another student raised the issue of broken toilets and boys often entering, Bhambra gave another shocking reply, “Tell me, do you have separate toilets at home? If you keep asking for a lot of things at different places, how will it work?”

Finally, Bhambra had a small ‘speech’ for the girls. “You have to decide where you want to see yourself in the future. You will have to make this decision yourself. The government cannot do this for you. Do you want to sit where you are, or on the side I am sitting on?”

I am a champion of women’s rights and empowerment: Bhamra

Soon after the video became viral on social media, Bhamra defended herself as a ‘vociferous champion of women’s rights and empowerment.’

Calling the video false, malicious and wrong reporting, Bhamra said, “Some mischievous elements against whom stringent action has been taken by the Women Development & Child Welfare (WCDC) for omissions and commission of wrongdoings, having lost at each forum, have now resorted to such low attempts to malign my reputation.”

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