Sunni leader urges calm after effigy burning over women's participation remarks
Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar urges restraint after BJP workers burn his effigy over remarks on women in public religious events.
All India Jamiyyathul Ulama general secretary Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar has appealed to his followers to exercise restraint following protests triggered by his recent comments on women's participation in religious celebrations held in public spaces. The appeal comes days after workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) burnt his effigy in Palakkad.
Critics have described the remarks as anti-woman, and the ensuing protests have included attempts by certain groups to turn the issue into a communal wedge, according to the cleric's office.
In a statement, Mr. Aboobacker urged Sunni activists not to fall for provocation and to respond with maturity. He stressed that discussions should serve as a means to examine ideas and foster learning, cautioning against efforts to convert spiritual discourse into disputes that divide society.
He also called on followers to remain vigilant against attempts to undermine the pursuit of knowledge and to stay disciplined in their response. Reiterating the Sunni tradition of answering evil with goodness, he asked supporters not to deviate from their core objectives and to move forward with restraint.