Kerala CM Satheesan rejects scholar's call for women to stay indoors

Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan has rejected remarks made by Sunni Islamic scholar Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, who suggested that women should remain confined to their homes. Speaking at a conference in Kochi, Musliyar argued that women entering the public sphere could lead to ‘great destruction’ and cited purdah as a measure to prevent this.

Satheesan criticized the view as an ‘anachronism’ that contradicts the progressive outlook of Kerala and misinterprets Islamic history. To support his stance, the Chief Minister cited historical Islamic figures, including Khadija, a successful businesswoman and the first wife of Prophet Muhammad, Aisha, a military leader, and Queen Bilqis, a ruler.

CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby also condemned the remarks, stating they are contrary to the Indian Constitution, which guarantees gender equality. Baby compared the scholar's views to those expressed by the RSS, arguing that religious interpretations should not fail to uphold constitutional values.