Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has come into limelight for one of his statements. He has said something due to which he is being criticized a lot on social media. In fact, the CM had said that mothers should teach traditional cooking methods to their sons’ wives. That means mother-in-law should teach her daughters-in-law to cook traditional food. People have expressed their displeasure over his comment and termed it as promoting anti-women and outdated thinking.
According to the information, on Saturday last, Chief Minister Satheesan had gone to D Charlie Pampa Memorial Sthal in Chengannur to inaugurate the 14th Pampa Literature Festival. Addressing the festival, he said, ‘I have a complaint against some mothers. She has a special talent in making some traditional dishes, which only she knows, but she does not teach these dishes to her children.
‘Tell daughters-in-law about the specialties of the dishes’
The Chief Minister further said, ‘At least they should teach these dishes either to their children or to their future spouses. In this way the specialties of these dishes will be passed on to the next generation. He said that every traditional thing including art should be preserved. He said that previous generations handed them over to us, but today no one is passing them on to the next generation. He said that I often complain to some mothers that they cook special dishes but do not teach their children to cook them. He should at least tell his children or his son’s wife about the specialties of those dishes.
Criticism of statement on social media
This statement of the Chief Minister gave rise to criticism on social media. Many argued that it reinforced the notion that cooking was primarily the responsibility of women. People said that traditional food and household responsibilities should not be limited to daughters-in-law or women only, but all members of the family should participate equally in it.
Former Education Minister V. Shivankutty also condemned
Former Education Minister V. Shivankutty has also criticized the CM’s statement. She said that they are contrary to the values of gender equality promoted through the school curriculum of Kerala. Sharing a post on social media, he said, ‘We have made changes in the textbooks that everyone, be it man or woman, should do household work. still’ . The former minister said the division of household responsibilities should not be based on gender and recalled that the curriculum was amended to encourage boys and girls to share in household work equally.
‘There has been no change in thinking…’
Here, writer Shardakutty also criticized the Chief Minister’s remarks on Facebook. Taking a dig at Satishan in his post, he cited the recent women-led protests at Jantar Mantar and said that even after seeing the struggle and determination of young women, his thinking did not change.
Leave a Reply