Men's rights organisations to publicly protest the government's proposal to mandate a salary for housewives from husbands on International Men's Day, November 19
If the central government's latest proposal is passed into law, it will become mandatory for men to share a percentage of their income with their wives, if the latter stays at home and does household chores. As housewives demand their due, men's organisations want to take to the streets in protest.
Can it be implemented?
As per the proposal, Women and Child Development minister Krishna Tirath wants to quantify the actual work that housewives do for their families, and make sure their husbands pay them this amount. The idea behind this is to financially empower women who stay at home. But concretising such a move looks tough, says lawyer and women's right activist Flavia Agnes. "How do you quantify housework? The argument doesn't work.
What will work in such a scenario, is the division of matrimonial property at the time of divorce — this will empower women."
'We will agitate'
The proposed law has left men's groups fuming. The Save Family Foundation, a non-government organisation, that represents roughly 40 different men's organisations across the country, has not only dashed off a letter to Union Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath, seeking a withdrawal of the proposal, but also sought the Prime Minister's intervention in this. Swarup Sarkar, founder of the organisation tells BT, "Yes, we have approached our law ministry and PM on the issue. The government should make more opportunities for women to work outside the house. And stop treating a man like an ATM machine," he rages.
Adds men's rights activist Vitesh Aggrawal. "On November 19 (International Men's Day) we are going to launch a nationwide protest on this. We want a ministry for men's rights, now!"
If the central government's latest proposal is passed into law, it will become mandatory for men to share a percentage of their income with their wives, if the latter stays at home and does household chores. As housewives demand their due, men's organisations want to take to the streets in protest.
Can it be implemented?
As per the proposal, Women and Child Development minister Krishna Tirath wants to quantify the actual work that housewives do for their families, and make sure their husbands pay them this amount. The idea behind this is to financially empower women who stay at home. But concretising such a move looks tough, says lawyer and women's right activist Flavia Agnes. "How do you quantify housework? The argument doesn't work.
What will work in such a scenario, is the division of matrimonial property at the time of divorce — this will empower women."
'We will agitate'
The proposed law has left men's groups fuming. The Save Family Foundation, a non-government organisation, that represents roughly 40 different men's organisations across the country, has not only dashed off a letter to Union Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath, seeking a withdrawal of the proposal, but also sought the Prime Minister's intervention in this. Swarup Sarkar, founder of the organisation tells BT, "Yes, we have approached our law ministry and PM on the issue. The government should make more opportunities for women to work outside the house. And stop treating a man like an ATM machine," he rages.
Adds men's rights activist Vitesh Aggrawal. "On November 19 (International Men's Day) we are going to launch a nationwide protest on this. We want a ministry for men's rights, now!"
Source : The Times of India, Sept 15, 2012
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