Shashi Panja calls for greater LGBTQIA+ awareness in schools

KOLKATA: Shashi Panja, the state minister for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, makes it a point to visit the Kolkata International Book Fair every year.

Though she doesn’t get as much time for literary books as she would like, she said that her responsibilities require her to stay updated on “economics, current affairs, politics, world affairs, and legal matters.” However, she urged students to read more, emphasising its importance in broadening perspectives.

Speaking at the stall of the Department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare at the 48th Kolkata International Book Fair on Thursday, Panja said how she is often taken aback by questions from young visitors. Some ask what it takes to become a minister, while others want to know why she chose this path. With her characteristic humour, she admitted that such questions sometimes leave her momentarily speechless. She also stressed the need for greater awareness and sensitivity toward the LGBTQIA+ community, especially in schools. Responding to a student’s query, she explained that adolescence is a crucial time for self-discovery, and schools play a key role in shaping young minds. The minister even addressed the judgment women face for smoking in public.

“A woman has every right to live life on her own terms,” she said. She also acknowledged that Bengal remains more progressive than many other states where moral policing is rampant.

“Back in our student days, we shared our tiffin without a second thought. But now, the injection of religion and such other poisons into society is truly concerning,” she said.