DQ wrote:The basic and first Fundamental Rights of every Indian Citizen.
Right of Equality
Everybody is equal.
You remind me of the student of Vedanta who misinterpreted "Aham Brahmasmi" as "I'm the creator and the sole master". The constitution gives us the right to equality...but that doesn't mean that a matriculate is equaivalent to a PhD. when it comes to a college lecturer's position. I consider my domestic help my equal as she is also a human being. I don't overwork her or underpay her.
DQ wrote:Is that why you hire them to wash your dishes ? Hygiene !!
Yes...that's why I hire them. I make it a point to ensure that they've washed my utensils properly. Washing them properly removes all chances of contamination. But I cannot guarantee the same thing when the domestic help sits down to eat with me.
DQ wrote:So ?
If you purport that allowing her to use your fridge was equality, then it was upto her to use the water the way she wanted.
If not, you were allowing some one to infringe on your right, you have the right to refuse the muncipal cleaner a right of entry into your house.
I'm not boasting of anything here...and its not a question of someone infringing on my right. My point is that...inko kandhe be bithao...to kaan mein mootte hain.
DQ wrote:Habitual Perfectionist wrote:
What exactly do you mean by equality here? Do you mean that my domestic help should be allowed to sleep in an airconditioned room just like me? Or that domestic help should hae access to a luury sedan if his/her employer owns one?
Why not ?
Looks like the blog and post is hurting your ego.
Why not??? Because I've earned whatever I can afford today due to hard work and determination. My father was no better than the people you are sympathising with. He studied through school and college on borrowed books. His first two years salary went into repaying family debts. He paid through his nose to educate me. What has my domestic help done in that direction?
Before you talk about them being deprived and stuff....here's some news. I teach 2 underprevileged kids. I spend 2-3 hours of my time every week with the kids. I fight with their parents to make them send the kids to school regularly, which they don't. Now, the father of the kids works as a security guard. The mother works as domestic help in 10 households, earning a total of more than 4000 bucks a month. Together, the two earn more than what I earned when I came to Hyderabad. And they still want the kids to work and help the mother out. What do you have to say to this?
And yeah, I've never read your blog and have no wish to waste my time on something as superflous as that. I know my responsibilities and I'm true to my heart that I carry them well.
DQ wrote:My equal ???
Fellow human being, (not drinking in the same container they drink water in, not allowing them to sit at the same level you sit at, either stand or sit on the floor, !!!! Fellow Human being)
The reason for this, as mentioned above, is not equality...but hygiene.
DQ wrote:What respect.
Hopelessely underpaying them ?
I pay the maid enough. I've already posted the figures above. She makes close to a thousand bucks just from my place and my landlords'. And she has 8 more households. She starts at 7 am and is done with her work by noon. And 4000+ for a 5 hour job is not considered underpaid even in industries like IT, which is among the highest payers today.
And pray tell me, does paying money amount to giving respect?
DQ wrote:Showing them that they cannot eat and drink in the same utensil.
Benefitting from their current status, overworking them. Abusing them as you will.
Not giving them a chance to develop.
I've answered all that above. I request you not to repeat the same points again and again. This would serve no purpose other than making your post look looooonnnnnggggg. And that's nothing to be proud of.
DQ wrote:100s of houses where the household help has been a house hold help from 2 to 3 generations. Is thsi not careful exploitation by the employers.
Now what do you want? Abolition of the domestic help class itself?