‘One-parent’ remark: Sivankutty calls it feudalistic, ignorant and misogynistic

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty has criticised Union Minister Suresh Gopi for using the term ‘one-parent’ (born to one father), calling it a feudal expression that reflects biological ignorance.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Sivankutty said the phrase, which Suresh Gopi used while referring to himself during a statement about the AIIMS project in Alappuzha, was misogynistic, unscientific, and outdated.

“It is scientifically impossible for humans to have more than one biological father. Yet, presenting the term ‘one-parent’ as an exceptional qualification is complete nonsense,” the minister wrote.

Sivankutty said such expressions, often used in political debates or personal disputes, stem from patriarchal and feudal attitudes that erase the role of mothers and demean women.

“The phrase measures a person’s dignity based solely on fatherhood. It insults not just an individual but also their mother and women as a whole,” he stated.

He added that using birth or parentage as a means to attack political opponents is inhuman and contrary to the values of a civilised society.

“Instead of criticising a person’s ideas or policies, questioning their birth is unacceptable. Such language belongs to a bygone era when people were judged by lineage and clan,” Sivankutty said.

The minister concluded that public figures, in particular, must choose their words responsibly. “Ideas should be met with ideas. Words are weapons; they should be used not to hurt, but to build a better society,” he wrote.