‘Not fit for society’: Kerala ministers slam Muslim cleric’s sexist remark

Kerala's Sunni Muslim leader Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar has sparked outrage with his sexist remarks suggesting women should remain confined to their homes, a stance rejected by state ministers for home and women and child development. Known as the Grand Mufti of India and general secretary of the AP faction of the Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, Musliyar made the controversial comments at an event on Sunday.

He argued that women entering the public sphere would lead to societal destruction, emphasizing the importance of 'purdah' as outlined in the Quran. This stance follows a circular issued by the AP faction of Samastha, aiming to limit Muslim women's participation in public events. The circular claimed that displaying young women alongside unrelated men was inappropriate and not permissible, urging mosques, madrasas, and other Muslim institutions to ensure celebrations adhered to religious boundaries.

Musliyar defended the circular and criticized those questioning its authority, stating that Samastha's 100 years of studying Islam gave them the right to speak on the matter. In response, Kerala's women and child development minister Bindhu Krishna denounced Musliyar's comments, asserting that the Constitution grants equal rights to women and that Keralam, like India, upholds gender equality.

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also condemned the restrictions on women's public participation, while IUML leader KM Shaji declined to comment. Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader PK Sreemathy questioned the denial of women's rights as citizens of India, emphasizing that women, like all other citizens, are entitled to the constitutional guarantees.