Kerala police investigate disputes over controversial religious debate

Legal disputes and police investigations have emerged in Kerala following a controversial television debate on the role of women in Islam. The conflict stems from remarks made by Sunni scholar Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, who suggested women should remain confined to their homes.

In response to the debate, Big TV editor Aparna Kurup faced two separate legal actions. First, Kochi police registered a case against her following a complaint from a resident alleging her remarks during the program were objectionable. Second, Kurup filed a complaint against Abdulla Basil CP, a leader of the Wisdom Islamic Organisation, alleging he sent threatening messages to her on social media after he criticized her comments.

Big TV has since issued an apology, stating that certain comments regarding gender discrimination “should have been omitted” and expressing regret if religious sentiments were hurt. The channel removed the video from its platforms to prevent further social misunderstanding. The incident has sparked a broader debate in the region regarding the limits of freedom of expression and the rise of online harassment against journalists.