Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajeev Chandrashekhar on Wednesday, 2 September launched a sharp attack on the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), accusing it of attempting to introduce what he called an 'Islamic Sharia law kind of a system' through the back door — a move he warned could 'take women and girls back to the stone ages.' The remarks come days after Kerala Grand Mufti Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad's controversial comments urging women to stay away from public life triggered a statewide debate.

What Chandrashekhar Said

Addressing reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, the Kerala BJP chief said: 'I am appealing to every Indian across the country to observe what is happening in Kerala under this Congress-Muslim League government. It is extremely disturbing. The Indian Union Muslim League is today transgressing every constitutional propriety and boundary and is trying to smuggle in, through the back door, a foreign ideology and Islamic Sharia law kind of a system that could take our women and girls back to the stone ages. That is not acceptable.'

Chandrashekhar also turned his fire on Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, questioning the Congress leader's stance. 'Their (IUML) Minister keeps saying Religion is our priority. If that is what the Indian Union Muslim League is, how come Rahul Gandhi talks about patriarchy and gives a certificate to the Indian Union Muslim League as a secular party?' he said.

The Grand Mufti Controversy

The BJP's broadside is directly linked to remarks made by Kerala Grand Mufti Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, which sparked widespread condemnation. The Grand Mufti had argued that women should remain at home and stay away from public life — a position that drew criticism across political lines.

In a subsequent clarification, the Grand Mufti maintained that his intention was not to demean women but to advocate for their protection and respect. However, an analogy he deployed during his original speech became the focal point of the controversy. He compared women to a gold necklace kept securely inside a cupboard and protective packaging, contrasting this with a stone-grinding machine left by the roadside. He argued that leaving a gold necklace on the road would allow passers-by to touch it, affecting its beauty and value.

Using this analogy, he suggested that bringing women into public life could result in 'great destruction,' and described the purdah system as a safeguard against such consequences. Critics argued the comparison was deeply objectifying regardless of the stated intent.

Political Implications for the Kerala Alliance

The IUML is a key coalition partner of the Indian National Congress (INC) in Kerala's opposition alliance. Chandrashekhar alleged that the Congress government is 'under the thumb' of the Muslim League and 'surviving because of the latter' — a charge that frames the controversy as a test of the Congress's stated commitment to gender equality and constitutional values.

This is not the first time the IUML's positions have drawn scrutiny from rival parties. The BJP has consistently sought to highlight what it describes as ideological contradictions within the Congress-IUML alliance, particularly on questions of women's rights and religious conservatism.

What Happens Next

With the controversy gaining national traction, pressure is mounting on the Congress leadership to formally respond to the Grand Mufti's remarks and clarify its position on the IUML's ideological stance. Political observers in Kerala expect the debate to intensify ahead of upcoming local body elections, with the BJP likely to keep the issue in focus as a wedge issue within the opposition alliance.