A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take.
This has been exemplified by a lady constable from Silchar, Assam’s Malugram area who brought her seven-month-old baby to work as she was denied maternity leave extension.
Though it is a sad and unfair situation, Constable Sachita Rani Roy is being praised for her dedication towards her work. This is just how society works, women are always imposed and expected to multitask.
In the lady constable’s case, once her maternity leave was over, she applied for extension but her request could not be accepted. This forced her to show up to work with her baby snuggled up in a carrier hanging on her body.
Every day, Constable Sachita reaches her office at 10:30 AM with her baby, and leaves after a whole day’s work.
The 27-year-old police official told media persons that she has no other option than to bring her baby along with her to work because there is no one back at home to take care of the baby in her absence.
“I have no one at home to take care of my baby so I am forced to bring her along with me. It gets uncomfortable at times but I have no other option,” told Mrs Roy to the media.
The police constable’s husband is a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan and is posted out of state.
Thankfully, Roy’s colleagues are very much understanding and cordial. Roy is extremely for they help look after her baby at work. Despite her leave request being denied, the police department has been very accommodating when it comes to bringing her baby to work.
“I do leave a little early as it gets very difficult for the baby to be with me throughout the day,” she said.
Many are lauding her dutifulness but we need to understand that mothers are just humans like the rest of us. We need to stop placing them on a pedestal in a way that only pressurizes them to do it all.
“I have applied for further leave but until it is approved, I will continue my duty this way,” the lady constable informed.
Similar incident spotted in Odisha
In a similar incident, a woman sanitation worker was seen cleaning the streets of Odisha while carrying her baby. The video went viral within a day.
#WATCH | Odisha: A lady sweeper, Laxmi cleans the road in Mayurbhanj district with her baby tied to her back. pic.twitter.com/g7rs3YMlFn
— ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2022
The sight triggered a discussion on social media where users sympathized with the mother and child and wanted the government to intervene and do something for them. Others commended her hard work and dedication to keep the family going by working in amid all odds.
Why do we need ample and flexible maternity leave and daycare at work?
A working mother is always under stress as she has to juggle work and newborn and can allow neither to suffer. By allowing a long maternity leave, companies and the government can help mothers bond well with their baby, take care of the physical needs of their child and see all of his/ her significant development milestones. For a better employee and employer relation, a good and extended maternity leave is very much important.
Few years ago, in August 2016, a much-awaited decision was finally taken by the government as the Rajya Sabha passed the amendments to the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, increasing the period of maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. One year after in March 2017, the bill became a law after being passed in the Lok Sabha.
Meanwhile the Tamil Nadu government announced its decision to increase the period of maternity leave for government employees to one year in 2021 which is very much sane.
It is yet to be seen how the centre moves further in this regard.
Rest there is also scope of allowance to bring children at work and provide daycare options.
Also read: Traffic Police Carries Baby At Work, Should We Laud Her Or Give Better Facilities?