PANAJI
Granting liberty to daughters of the house should not amount to unbridled freedom to mimic fashion trends or becoming "forward", but parents should tell them what is right or wrong and guide their daughters into taking a leap of faith into the skies, Director of Women and Child Development Deepali Naik said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a Women's Day function organised by the Goa State Commission for Women in Panaji, Naik also said that instead of wasting their time in the afternoons by watching TV serials, women should look to utilise the time more productively.
"Just imitating fashion just because someone else is doing it... It is not about indulging in a lot of fashion or becoming forward. I am not saying, turn her (daughter) into kakubai (conservative). But, they should be told what is right. There should always be a limit and an orbit of security (provided by parents)," Naik said at the function.
"There is no difference between a boy and a girl. If a mother decides, then no one can stop them (daughters) from venturing into a sphere of life of her (daughter) choice. If at home, the mother gives the daughter freedom and wings, then she can take a leap into the sky. Fathers tend to listen to (their wives). If both of them work in unison and if the mother is financially strong, then it amounts to good support. Such support is not futile," she also said.
Naik also said that mothers and women of the household should express their opinion when fathers or other elders of the house finalise marriage proposals intended for the daughter/s of the family.
"Even when we buy vegetables, we examine them for quality and evaluate the price. But when a daughter's marriage is decided, it is left up to the father and the elders in the house and women take a backseat," she said.
"Please do your due diligence and if you want to have your say go ahead, say it. Because there is no scope to rewind their life. It cannot be reset. You express yourself, be brave and be independent," she added.
Naik also said that women should utilise their afternoons better, instead of watching TV serials.
"Every woman gets a proper amount of time after eating lunch and washing utensils at 3 pm right up to 6 pm. They should do something at that time which will help complement their lives," she said.
"What do we do during that period, either we sleep, or we gossip at the balcao or watch various serials on TV. I am not condemning serials. They are a mere reflection of what goes on in society, but we watch it with interest and waste our time," she added.
