Kerala minister Bindu Krishna hits out at Sunni cleric over remarks on women’s public life.

Kerala labour minister Bindu Krishna on Monday criticised prominent Sunni cleric and Grand Mufti of India Kanthapuram Aboobacker Musliyar over his remarks advocating restrictions on women’s participation in public life, saying such statements push women “centuries back”.Krishna said the Constitution guarantees equal rights to men and women and rejected calls to restrict women’s movement outside their homes.“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 minister was responding to remarks made by Aboobacker Musliyar at the Hubbul Rasul Conference in Kochi, where he defended directives issued by the Kanthapuram faction of Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama to local Mahalls regarding women’s participation in religious events.The controversy follows a circular issued by the organisation directing Madrasas not to allow women to be present among unrelated men at religious programmes. The directives also advised against featuring young women on public stages or allowing them to participate in road processions alongside unrelated men.Defending the restrictions, Aboobacker said, “Women should remain confined within their homes. They should not enter the public sphere. The Holy Quran says so.”

He defended the purdah system, saying it was intended to protect women’s dignity. He also argued that allowing women unrestricted access to public spaces could cause “great destruction”.Aboobacker said the restrictions were intended to honour and protect women rather than diminish their status.He further argued that Islam had granted women property and inheritance rights centuries ago to improve their status without requiring them to leave their domestic roles.The cleric also said he was not concerned by opposition from political leaders or others and maintained that no one could silence him or force him to alter Islamic doctrines.