Kerala CM Satheesan Rejects Cleric's Call for Restrictions on Women in Public Life

NEW DELHI: Kerala chief minister VD Satheesan on Wednesday rejected Sunni cleric and Grand Mufti of India Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar’s call for restrictions on women’s participation in public life. He said women must join the mainstream, asserting that such views have no place in a developing Kerala.

Speaking to reporters, Satheesan said the state government did not agree with Aboobacker’s position that women should remain at home, adding that even Islam did not require women to be confined to domestic life. "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.

Satheesan’s remarks came amid mounting criticism of Aboobacker over his comments defending restrictions issued by the Kanthapuram faction of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama on women’s participation in religious events. Labour minister Bindu Krishna also criticised the cleric, saying such remarks undermined women’s constitutional rights and sought to push them "centuries back".

"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 controversy followed remarks made by Aboobacker at the Hubbul Rasul Conference in Kochi, where he defended recent directives issued by the Kanthapuram faction of Samastha to local Mahalls on women’s participation in religious celebrations. A circular issued by the organisation directed Madrasas not to allow women to be present among unrelated men at religious events. It also advised against displaying young women on public stages and having them participate in road processions alongside unrelated men.

Defending the directives, Aboobacker said women should remain within the home and invoked the Quran to support his position. "Women should remain confined within their homes. They should not enter the public sphere. The Holy Quran says so," Aboobacker said, while defending the purdah system as a practice intended to protect women’s dignity. He argued that allowing women into public spaces without restrictions could result in "great destruction", insisting that the measures were intended to honour and protect women rather than diminish them.

Aboobacker also said Islam had granted women property and inheritance rights centuries ago to improve their status without requiring them to leave domestic life. He maintained that he was not concerned by opposition or political criticism and said no one could silence him or force him to change Islamic doctrines.