Pathanamthitta collector Divya Iyer brings son to public function, triggers debate in Kerala
Collector Divya S Iyer attended the valedictory function of a film festival with her three-year-old son on October 30 and addressed the gathering with her son in her arms. She was criticised for trivialising the function.
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Though Divya Iyer stayed away from the debate, her husband and Youth Congress state vice-president K S Sabarinadhan spoke out via a Facebook post. (Photo: Sabarinadhan K S/ Facebook)A woman IAS officer’s decision to attend a public function in Kerala with her three-year-old son has sparked a debate on social media on ‘propriety’ and work-life balance, prompting her husband and Youth Congress state vice-president K S Sabarinadhan to defend her pointing out that most working women juggle severalroles “even while performing their official duties”.
Pathanamthitta district collector Divya S Iyer attended the valedictory function of a film festival in Adoor with her son on October 30 and addressed the gathering with her son in her arms. A video of Iyer at the function was shared by CPI leader and deputy speaker of the Assembly Chittayam Gopakumar on his Facebook page. Lyricist Rajeev Alunkal was among the first to take a dig at Iyer, saying that she had trivialised the function and that it was not an action worth emulating.
As criticism mounted, novelist Benyamin spoke out in support of Iyer. Benyamin said that apart from a district collector, Iyer plays multiple roles in her life, like wife, mother, friend, etc. “She also has the right to spend time with her child,” he said, pointing out that mothers elsewhere in the world were attending legislative assemblies and public functions with their children.
“When would we cease the cynical approach of finding fault with everything?” he said.
Like Benyamin, many on social media highlighted the example of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who had 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 had held the infant on his lap.
Though Iyer stayed away from the debate, her husband and Youth Congress state vice-president K S Sabarinadhan spoke out via a Facebook post. “This is not an issue of Divya Iyer alone. Most working women stand on their feet after overcoming many difficulties and troubles. This criticism would come down to an extent when we realise how the working women continue their journey juggling the roles of a mother and wife even while performing their official duties,” he said.
Referring to the event held last Sunday, Sabarinadhan said that on Sundays, Iyer would try her best to spend time with the son.
“However, certain events would be unavoidable after the organisers would compel her to attend. On such occasions, she would tell them that she would take our son along. The organisers are happy about it. The valedictory function of the film festival was such an event,” he added.
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