IUML backs Kanthapuram's remarks as 'scholarly'; CPI(M) hits back

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), an ally of the ruling Congress in Keralam, has defended controversial remarks made by senior Sunni scholar Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar, calling them a "scholarly expression." The statement came on Tuesday (September 1, 2026) as the cleric faced criticism for suggesting that women's presence on public platforms could lead to "great destruction" and that Islam prescribed purdah to prevent this.

IUML State president Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, responding to reporters, said he had nothing further to add on the matter. "It was a scholarly expression. Beyond that, I have nothing more to say," he said, adding that he would not comment on scholars. He suggested the cleric's remarks were rooted in concern for women's safety, noting that "women are being hunted in the present situation." He added that the cleric may have been speaking about the broader social context and that "there should be some restraint in such matters."

When pressed on whether women should remain confined to homes, Thangal said society accommodates differing opinions and that the focus should be on collective action on issues of common concern. He also addressed speculation about the cleric's ties with the CPI(M), stating that the League values both community and social unity, and has always sought to work with all sections of society.

Meanwhile, senior CPI(M) leader P. Jayarajan, in a Facebook post, said that while every believer has the right to speak about faith, views that prescribe how women should live and participate in public life are open to debate in a democratic society. He stressed that protecting women's freedom, equality, and participation is a fundamental duty of a democracy. He defended the All India Democratic Women's Association's criticism of the remarks, noting its consistent opposition to marginalising women across religious communities, including against Sangh Parivar forces upholding the Manusmriti. He cautioned against framing the issue as anti-religious.

The controversy follows a circular from Kanthapuram's faction of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, which said women should not share stages with men or appear alongside them in public spaces. The circular had already drawn criticism from several women political leaders.