Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan defends remarks on family recipes following sexism allegations

Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan on Wednesday rejected allegations that he had made a sexist statement during a public event, clarifying that his recent remarks on preserving traditional family recipes were taken out of context.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing in Thiruvananthapuram, Satheesan stated that he had merely encouraged mothers to pass along their unique culinary knowledge to all their children, as well as to incoming daughters-in-law where appropriate, to prevent distinct heritage recipes from disappearing over time. He noted that the term "children" naturally includes both sons and daughters, disputing claims that his advice was aimed exclusively at women or intended to promote gender stereotypes.

Reflecting on his personal connection to traditional cooking, Satheesan recalled that although his mother passed away 27 years ago, the taste and memory of the food she prepared remain deeply etched in his mind. Accusing sections of the media of misinterpreting his statements to manufacture a artificial controversy, the chief minister urged critics to challenge him on substantive policy issues rather than inventing mischaracterizations that undermine media credibility.

The political row stems from comments Satheesan delivered last week while inaugurating the Pampa Festival of Dialogues in Chengannur. During his address, he expressed a mild complaint that mothers possessing specialized culinary skills often fail to teach those recipes to the next generation, suggesting they share these methods with their children or their sons' wives to carry forward the family’s culinary heritage. The remarks drew widespread online criticism from users labeling the statement anti-women, alongside formal criticism from former General Education Minister and senior CPI(M) leader V. Sivankutty, who argued that such domestic expectations run counter to the gender-equality principles embedded within the state's school curriculum.