Outlook SpeakOut | Women Don바카라�t Have Problem Speaking Out, They Have Problem Being Heard: Smriti Irani

"Women alone are not responsible for bringing a change in perceptions about equality," said Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani during her speech at Outlook's annual conclave SpeakOut on Friday. 

바카라�We need to empower society irrespective of gender,바카라� said the minister, while delivering the keynote address at the annual Outlook conclave.

Irani, who was the Chief Guest at the event, said that men need to be equally responsible and involved at home and also to bring about changes in perceptions about gender rights. 

The BJP leader said that when she was invited as the Chief Guest at the event, she had asked why her. 바카라�I  was told that we are giving women a platform to speak. Women don바카라�t need a platform to speak. They don바카라�t have a problem speaking out; they have a problem being heard,바카라� she said .

The event honoured several women who had achieved success in their chosen fields despite several odds including gender imbalance and misoginy. 

Television producer Ekta Kapoor, who was present at the event, referred to Irani several times during her speech. 바카라�In 2008, Smiti told me that she wanted to do something for the nation. I was skeptical, but look at her now,바카라� said Kapoor.

As part of the event, Irani felicitated several women, including Kapoor. 바카라�I am really happy that a woman whom I launched on television is the chief guest and giving me this accolade,바카라� said Kapoor.

Back in 2000, Kapoor had taken a chance when she had taken an unknown face from Delhi in a key role in her first mega-serial Kyunki Saans Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.

Irani pointed out that women have an incessant need to pass on the baton to other women. This, she said, was unnecessary.

바카라�We never tell men that they need to hand over the baton to the son or the son-in-law. That바카라�s what I learned from when I worked with Ekta Kapoor바카라�[I realised] here바카라�s my baton and I don바카라�t have to give it up to anyone.,바카라� she said.

"I am 42-year-old and I have a daughter at home who is 15-year-old. I don't wish to pass on the baton to her. I tell her that she  has to run her own race,바카라� Irani said.

Before she became a Union minister in the Narendra Modi government, Irani had been a spokesperson for the BJP for several years, apart from holding posts in the party바카라�s executive body.

During that time, she had had several run-ins with Outlook바카라�s founding editor, Vinod Mehta, whom she described as 바카라�audacious by design바카라� and one-of-a-kind journalist. The two had faced-off during some television debates and on one such occasion, Irani recalled that Mehta had commended her for 바카라�showing spine바카라�.

바카라�There바카라�s more where that came from, is what I told him,바카라�  said Irani, adding. 바카라�I am fortunate to have locked horns with the best.바카라�