In a move stirring widespread debate, the Dravidar Thalam (DT), a Tiruppur-based Dravidian outfit led by Athi Asuran, has announced plans to campaign for the abolition of household kitchens. Scheduled for March 10, 2025, the protest is part of the organisation’s broader agenda to dismantle traditional family systems and societal norms.
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The group has launched a three-month propaganda campaign leading up to the protest, emphasising its demand for the establishment of common kitchens and the dissolution of domestic cooking arrangements.
Athi Asuran started DT in 2021 to further his Anti-Sanatan Dharma propaganda particularly among the younger generation people.
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A Controversial Objective
Founded in 2021, Dravidar Thalam was established to propagate anti-Sanatan Dharma narratives, particularly targeting younger generations. It opposes the celebration of Hindu festivals, marriage customs, and traditional family structures, aligning with the ideology of E.V. Ramasamy Naicker, a prominent Dravidian leader. The outfit has taken radical steps to advocate for societal change, including discouraging marriage and family-oriented lifestyles.
The current campaign to disband household kitchens is aligned with the group’s ideology of eroding traditional values. The protest will coincide with the birth anniversary of Maniammai, the spouse of Periyar, a central figure in Dravidian ideology.
Demands and Justifications
Dravidar Thalam’s demands, outlined in pamphlets distributed during the propaganda campaign, extend beyond kitchens. They include:
Banning household kitchens: Kitchens are labeled as symbols of women’s oppression. The group proposes replacing them with state-run common kitchens and restaurants named after former Chief Minister Karunanidhi.
Promoting common dining: Advocating for cloud kitchens and a government-managed food distribution system.
Encouraging live-in relationships: Proposals include government-developed dating apps and hostels for single women who opt out of traditional family life.
Legislating family roles: Punitive measures against women choosing homemaker roles and men neglecting kitchen duties or child upbringing.
Reforming caste-based traditions: Demands include bans on caste-based matrimonial platforms, worship of family and village deities, and the celebration of Pongal and Jallikattu.
These demands, according to DT, aim to dismantle caste hierarchy, patriarchy, and traditional family systems.
Campaign Details
The propaganda campaign commenced on November 26, 2024, in Perundurai, Erode, marking the anniversary of EV Ramasamy Naicker’s burning of the Indian Constitution in 1957. Events include rallies, graffiti, and public meetings across Tamil Nadu. The group is actively promoting its ideology through publications and social media, often celebrating figures like Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay for his role in shaping colonial education systems.
Criticism and Backlash
Critics argue that the campaign seeks to erode traditional Indian values and family systems. One observer pointed to the rising popularity of affordable biryani joints, many run by Muslim entrepreneurs, as a precursor to this societal shift. Affordable meals, often priced below Rs 20, have replaced traditional breakfast items like idli, dosa, and upma, raising concerns about declining nutritional standards.
“This shift has not only affected conventional restaurants but also encouraged the normalization of communal dining over home-cooked meals. Now, with DT advocating for disbanding kitchens, the very essence of family life is under threat,” a critic remarked.
Observers also highlight parallels with Western trends of live-in relationships, no-cooking lifestyles, and declining marriage rates. Critics view this as an attempt to impose foreign cultural models on Indian society, eroding the bonds of family, tradition, and community.
Economic and Social Impacts
The disbanding of kitchens could have far-reaching implications for the economy and society. Critics warn of the potential collapse of industries reliant on traditional food habits, such as cookware manufacturers, local grocers, and farmers supplying staple ingredients. Additionally, the move could marginalize homemakers, undervaluing their contributions to familial and societal well-being.
On the social front, opponents argue that dismantling family systems could exacerbate isolation, mental health issues, and societal instability. By discouraging marriage and family-oriented lifestyles, they fear a loss of intergenerational connections and community cohesion.
Supporters of the Campaign
Proponents of the campaign, however, argue that common kitchens and communal dining could promote equality and convenience, particularly for working couples. They believe that removing household kitchens could challenge traditional gender roles, creating a more equitable division of labor. DT’s advocacy for live-in relationships and hostels for single women is seen as a step toward greater personal freedom and autonomy.
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