Why Kent's advertisement on automated atta maker is classist, discriminatory and distasteful

Not only is the brand normalising the provincial notion that those belonging to a lower economic strata are dirty and impure, it is promulgating the parochial ideology, which social reformers are fighting hard to alleviate

Aakriti Handa

May 27, 2020 / 05:31 PM IST

Image: Twitter

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown has led to a humanitarian crisis for the working class, instigating an exodus of migrant labourers and putting an insurmountable pressure on daily wage earners.

Those who have decided to stay put are in no better condition. These include local vegetable and fruits vendors, street hawkers, car cleaners as well as our domestic helps. Most of them have been out of work due to the lockdown; only few have been fortunate with their employers not cutting their salaries.

If at all, the lockdown has made the middle and upper-middle class realise the importance of the aforementioned, especially our domestic helps. In fact, after restrictions were eased in the fourth phase of the lockdown, RWAs (resident welfare associations) and corresponding District Magistrates have been splitting hair on whether or not to allow domestic helps to resume work, as residents are demanding it increasingly by the day.

Amid this, Kent, a popular water purifier brand, put out an advertisement for their new automated atta and bread maker.

The ad reads, “Are you allowing your maid to knead atta dough by hand? Her hands may be infected.” This is followed by the brand ambassador Hema Malini endorsing the atta maker with the line, “Now, don’t compromise on health and purity.”

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