Prominent Kerala Islamic scholar Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar has asked his followers to exercise restraint and avoid turning a spiritual debate into a sectarian controversy. The appeal follows days of widespread criticism sparked by his remarks at an Islamic gathering in Kochi, where he stated that women appearing on public platforms and mixing with men could have serious consequences. Citing his interpretation of religious texts, he argued that women should largely remain within their homes, drawing sharp condemnation from across the political spectrum, including from Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan, who called the view outdated.
Facing mounting backlash, Kanthapuram issued a clarification in Thrissur, stating that his organisation does not advocate confining or marginalising women and pointing to institutions it runs for girls’ education. In a social media message, he urged supporters to treat debates as spaces for the impartial exchange of ideas rather than division, while cautioning that some actors are deliberately fanning the row for communal polarisation. The appeal for calm followed visible anger on the ground, such as Bharatiya Janata Party workers burning an effigy of the cleric in Palakkad district.
The episode has become a prominent flashpoint cutting across religious, gender, and political lines in Kerala. Congress-led opposition figures and women’s groups have used the controversy to press the state government on religious leaders’ influence over public discourse, while the BJP has sought to use the row to court both conservative and progressive constituencies. Kanthapuram, who heads the Markaz institutions and commands a large following among the Sunni community, called for responses grounded in maturity and discipline rather than emotion.