Will Bihar Govt Take Action Against Senior IAS Officer Harjot Kaur for Absurd Reply of “Condom Too” to Girl Students

Patna: Two days after a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Harjot Kaur Bhamra humiliated girl students with her absurd reply to them for their simple request to provide sanitary napkins, to which she replied, “today you are asking for sanitary pads, tomorrow you will ask for condoms,” Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said that action will be taken in this matter.

“After an enquiry, necessary action will be taken,” Kumar told media when he was asked about the irresponsible behaviour of Kaur to girl students on Tuesday.

Kumar was forced to take a stand after a huge hue and cry across the country was created and action was demanded against Kaur, who is chairperson-cum-MD of the state's Women and Child Development Corporation.

Earlier, Bihar social welfare minister Madan Sahni said it was wrong on her part to reply to girl students in such a language and termed it shocking. “We have taken serious note of this because girl students have every right to demand sanitary napkins, the government has made provision for it. Kaur should have avoided the way she replied to them,” he told the media.

According to reports in a local Hindi daily, Kaur during a programme Sashakt Beti, Samridh Bihar, organised by WCDC and NGOs (UNICEF, Save The Children), here was asked by girl students that government should provide napkins of Rs 20 to them and they also complained of no separate toilet for them at school. In her reply, Kaur reportedly said, “Why do you need to take things from the government? This mentality is incorrect.” 

Kaur in a reply to another girl student, who claimed that the government promises to fulfil demands at the time of elections, said, “then give no vote and go to Pakistan.” But Kaur was surprised when the girl responded that she won’t go to Pakistan as she is an Indian.

Bihar Rajya Prathmik Shikshak Sangh working president Manoj Kumar told the press that Kaur’s reply to girl students was condemnable. “Kaur should publicly apologise for it, if she does not apologise, the government should take action against her.”

Another school teacher organisation TET Shikshak Sangh president Amit Vikram said the government should act against Kaur for humiliating girl students and for showing an insensitive approach to their simple demands of sanitary napkins.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women on Thursday took cognisance of the issue and sought a written reply from the woman IAS officer for her statements within seven days.

Some women organisations and women activists also criticised Kaur and questioned the language that she used in her response to girl students.

Kaur reportedly stated that her statement was reported out of context. She stated that her intention was neither to hurt nor to humiliate anyone. However, Kaur on Thursday issued an official apology saying, "I express regret if my words hurt any girl's sentiments. I didn't intend to humiliate anyone or hurt anyone's sentiments."