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Keralam CM VD Satheeshan on Wednesday hit out at prominent Sunni cleric and Grand Mufti of India Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar over his remarks advocating restrictions on women's participation in public life, saying such statements push women "centuries back" and cannot be accepted.
Speaking to reporters the Keralam CM said that women must join the mainstream and the state government does not subscribe to the clerics view. "We don't agree with his statement that women should stay home. It's not a suitable stand in our developing Keralam. It's not the 19th century that one should make such statements. Even Islam doesn't say that. Women should not stay home, but join the mainstream. That is our stand," he said. Earlier, Labour Minister Bindu Krishna criticised the cleric saying such statements push women "centuries back" and cannot be accepted. "Constitution of India assures equal rights to women and men, irrespective of sex. The people have the right to live a free and liberal life. And also, these types of statements push women centuries back. So, we can't accept such statements. Our women are free to move. They are best rulers. Our girls are always coming through this society, and we can't accept such statements," Krishna told ANI The reactions follow remarks made by the cleric at the Hubbul Rasul Conference in Kochi, where he defended recent directives issued by the Kanthapuram faction of Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama to local Mahalls regarding women's participation in religious celebrations. A circular issued by the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama led by Aboobacker had directed Madrasas not to let women be present among unrelated men at religious events has sparked criticism. It also issued directives, which advised against displaying young women on public stages or having them participate in road processions alongside unrelated men. "Women should remain confined within their homes. They should not enter the public sphere. The Holy Quran says so," Aboobacker said, defending the purdah system as a practice intended to protect women's dignity. He argued that bringing women into public spaces without restrictions could cause "great destruction" and said the restrictions were intended to honour and protect women rather than diminish them. Aboobacker also argued that Islam had granted women property and inheritance rights centuries ago to elevate their status without requiring them to abandon domestic life. He further said he remained unbothered by outside opposition or political criticism, asserting that no one could silence him or compel him to alter Islamic doctrines. (ANI)
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