Glad a speech holding my child sparked a debate on women rights: Divya S Iyer

Pathanamthitta: District Collector Divya S Iyer on Friday said that she was glad that she started a discussion on women's and children rights by delivering a speech with her child in her arms at a public event here.

"A lot of working women reached out to me after the event. They said the society has little regard for the problems they're facing," the Pathanamthitta Collector said.

Iyer had brought her three-and-a-half -year old son Malhar to the valedictory ceremony of the sixth International Film Festival of Adoor and delivered a speech with the child in her arms.

While critics pointed out at the 'propriety', those backing Iyer, including her husband, highlighted the multiple roles women play and their right to have their moments with their children.

The incident triggered a controversy after Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly, Chittayam Gopakumar, one of the organisers of event, shared a video of the Collector with her son attending the finale of the three-day event on October 30 on his Facebook page.

However, he deleted the video from his FB page later.

In the video, Iyer could be seen sitting with her child on the dais, cuddling him and later affectionately talking to him while standing up to deliver her speech.

In a Facebook post former Congress legislator KS Sabarinadhan, Divya's husband, defended his wife. "Working mothers do not need anyone's sympathy. But, the society should give them a positive space to work," he said.

While many criticised Divya, saying it was improper for a high-ranking officer to bring her child to a function, several others voiced support to the Collector and pointed out to the example of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who made history by bringing her three-month-old daughter to the United Nations General Assembly in 2018.

While Ardern delivered her speech at a peace summit in the UN, her partner Clarke Gayford held the infant on his lap, creating headlines worldwide then.

Renowned Malayalam writer Benyamin and social activist Dhanya Raman were among those who extended whole-hearted support to the woman IAS officer.

Raman, in a recent Facebook post, said let all children have the chance to grow up enjoying the love of their mothers' heart.

Benyamin said besides being the district collector, Iyer is also a person who plays multiple roles like wife, mother, friend and so on.

"She also needs private moments. She also has the right to spend some time with her child," he said in a FB post.

Asking what was objectionable in taking the child along with her while attending a private function, he also said "why cannot we think about the rights of mother and child?"

He also pointed out at the respect shown to women in many foreign countries if they arrive at public platforms, parliaments and legislative assemblies with their babies.

However, many persons including noted lyricist Rajeev Alunkal criticised the Collector's act saying by bringing the child to a public function, she acted without much propriety.

Several other critics charged that the woman official had "over-acted" and did not give much seriousness to the event.