As a poll promise for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in 2021, Kamal Haasan had promised salaries for homemakers whose work is unrecognised.

news Controversy Wednesday, January 06, 2021 - 11:10
TNM Staff

Actress Kangana Ranaut on Tuesday took to Twitter to oppose the proposal given by actor-politician Kamal Haasan to recognise household work as a salaried profession. The actress said this will be like “reducing a home-owner to an employee” and “trying to pay God for his creation.” In his manifesto for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in 2021, Kamal Haasan had promised salaries for homemakers whose work is unrecognised as a poll promise

"Don't put a price tag on sex we have with our love, don't pay us for mothering our own, we don't need salary for being the Queens of our own little kingdom our home, stop seeing everything as business. Surrender to your woman she needs all of you not just your love/respect/salary," Kangana tweeted from her verified account on Tuesday.

Kangana's tweet came in response to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's tweet, which reads: "I welcome @ikamalhaasan's idea of recognising housework as a salaried profession, w/the state govt paying a monthly wage to homemakers. This will recognise & monetise the services of women homemakers in society, enhance their power & autonomy & create near-universal basic income."

Protesting against the idea, Kangana further shared in a separate tweet: "It will be worse to reduce a home owner to home employ, to give price tag to mothers sacrifices and life long unwavering commitment, It's like you want to pay God for this creation, cause you suddenly pity him for his efforts. It's partially painful and partially funny thought."

In response, Tharoor tweeted, “I agree w/@KanganaTeam that there are so many things in a homemaker’s life that are beyond price. But this is not about those things: it’s about recognising the value of unpaid work & also ensuring a basic income to every woman. I’d like all Indian women to be as empowered as you!”

Last month, in his party manifesto, Kamal Haasan promised payment to homemakers — along with a computer with high-speed internet to all households and transformation of farmers to agri-entrepreneurs —  if his party Makkal Needhi Maiam is voted to power in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

In their agenda note, Makkal Needhi Maiam, has said, "The MNM government will take steps to realize Bharatiyaar’s dream of ‘Pudhumai penn’ through education, employment and entrepreneurship for women. Women will break through established glass ceilings by the equal opportunities provided to them by our MNM government. Homemakers will get their due recognition through payment for their work at home which hitherto has been unrecognised and unmonetized, thus raising the dignity of our womenfolk."

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