Kerala Police Book TV Anchor Over Remarks During Debate on Cleric's Women Directive

Kochi city cyber police in Kerala have registered a case against senior television journalist Aparna Kurup. The case stems from comments she made while anchoring a debate on a recent directive by Muslim cleric Kanthapuram Aboobacker Musliyar concerning women's conduct in public places.

Kurup, who serves as senior coordinating editor and anchor for the Malayalam news channel BIG TV, was booked on Monday. The complaint was filed by Abdul Hakeem, a resident of Kasaragod.

The First Information Report (FIR) includes charges related to provoking riots, outraging religious feelings, and making statements that promote enmity between different groups.

The controversy traces back to a programme aired on August 31. During the discussion, Kurup referred to religious leaders who, in her words, consider certain acts as approved in the Quran. This specific reference drew sharp criticism from various quarters.

Following the backlash, Kurup issued an apology on September 1, stating that certain statements should have been avoided in the discussion on gender inequality and offering an unconditional apology if her words hurt anyone's religious sentiments. The channel also removed clips containing the remarks from its social media platforms.

Prior to this case, Kurup had herself filed a complaint against social commentator Dr. Abdulla Basil CP. That complaint, lodged on September 5, alleged that Basil's social media posts had harmed her reputation. Police had subsequently booked Basil under several sections.

However, the action against Basil drew protests from Muslim organisations, including some Indian Union Muslim League MLAs. MLA Najeeb Kanthapuram publicly condemned the police action against Basil, questioning the use of law against someone who had opposed communal positions. Following these protests, police did not proceed further on that particular FIR.