Paternity leave, yes or no? Celebrities weigh in on the debate

Shahid Kapoor has taken paternity leave. He is not shooting till his wife Mira Kapoor delivers their first born. He is not the only one to do so. However, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi feels that Indian men do not help in parenting and should not be entitled to that leave. 

According to a media report, Maneka said, “Paternity leave can be considered only if, once the woman goes back to work after her 26 weeks of leave, we find that men are availing their sick leave for a month to take care of the child. Let me see how many men do that. I will be happy to give it but for a man, it will be just a holiday, he won’t do anything.” While the statement rattled many on social media, when examined in the Indian context does it ring true? We got celebs to respond...

‘It all boils down to a person’s attitude’ —Roshan Abbas

During the birth of my child, I took many days off, especially, in the first three months. Since I was the proprietor of the company, I could afford it, and I think doing that actually helped me bond with my family. I was a hands-on parent, changing nappies and putting my kid to bed. A lot of concerned parents, and first time dads that I know want to help by being involved parents and don’t mind sharing the responsibilities of bringing up a child. If you are questioning whether people will misuse paternity leave... well, it’s a double-edged sword. It boils down to the attitude of people. Some may misuse it, but there are many out there who genuinely want to step up, and take their roles of being a father very seriously.

‘Give men an opportunity’ —Pritish Nandy 

I disagree. There are men and there are men. You cannot generalise without being unjust. There are many men, particularly single men, divorced men who are ready to create very strong bonds with their offspring. You must give them that opportunity. You cannot just write them off. This is gender bias. Yes, we know how terribly men behave with their daughters in some parts of India, but we must try and change that. We cannot take a stand on the basis of that. Or else, India will never change.

‘We need to fight for equality for all’ — Ashwin Mushran

I believe the minister’s statement is a huge generalisation. Paternity leave is the need of the hour. It’s a good move because it does not put the onus of parenting only on the woman. A lot of women today, want to go back to actively working after giving birth to a child. And any step taken in that direction to encourage them and support them should be applauded. Paternity leave will also benefit single dads. Parenting is hard work, and you need support, especially, that of your spouse. The sad part of what has transpired is that the minister has already written off a sensible proposal before it can happen. We fight for feminism, but we also need to fight for equality for all people. By doing so, we can actually solve a lot of issues.

'Paternity leave is essential' —Sanjay Gupta 

Paternity leave for two to three weeks is essential, especially in the case where the couple does not have the support of an extended family. However, having said that, you also have to consider the fact that in some cases the man is the sole bread winner in the family, and may not be able to afford paternity leave. Hence, it’s a mixed bag, as far as I am concerned.

‘Maneka  Gandhi is using an old-school Indian man stereotype as an example’ —Purab Kohli

Yes, definitely quite harsh a statement towards men. Just last month I went into work late because Inaya (my daughter) was running a fever. So, she’s (Maneka Gandhi) definitely using an-old school Indian man stereotype as an example. As a minister and a leader, I urge her to try and encourage the concept of paternity leave so men have the option and start to feel the need to be involved at every step of their children growing up. We are living in an ever evolving new India. Bashing down the old seems like such a dated concept, I encourage her to look towards the new India and mould that.