Kerala's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, also known as Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar, has triggered sharp political backlash after stating that women should remain confined to their homes and stay out of public life. Leaders across party lines on Monday condemned the remarks, asserting that women have a constitutional right to independence and full participation in society.

What the Cleric Said

The controversy erupted following remarks made at the Hubbul Rasool conference in Kochi, where the cleric compared women to gold ornaments that must be kept safely inside a box. He further claimed that bringing women into the public sphere could result in 'great destruction.'

'Women should remain confined within their homes. They should not enter the public sphere. The Holy Quran says so,' Kanthapuram said at the event.

Political Leaders Push Back

Shiv Sena spokesperson Shaina NC called the remarks deeply regressive. 'How regressive is it to say that women should not appear on public platforms and that they are a great distraction? I mean, the Quran nowhere says that women should sit at home and be confined to their homes. Public appearances are part of living in a civil society,' she said.

Kerala Minister for Women and Child Development Bindu Krishna firmly rejected the statement, saying it was unacceptable in a progressive society. 'A society like Keralam cannot accept such statements. Statements of this kind push women back by centuries. We abide by the Constitution of India, which guarantees equality to women and men, irrespective of gender, religion, or any other factor,' she said.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Saugata Roy said religious leaders should stay out of such social matters. 'This is wrong. This should not happen. Women should be independent. Religious leaders should remain silent on such matters concerning society,' Roy said.

Congress Questions the Cleric's Credentials

Congress MP Imran Masood challenged the cleric's understanding of Islam, invoking prominent women in Islamic history. 'Who was Razia Sultan? What status does Hazrat Aisha hold for us? A person who has no knowledge of Islam cannot be called an Islamic scholar just by growing a beard or wearing a cap,' Masood said.

Congress leader Udit Raj also condemned the remarks, invoking constitutional guarantees. 'Our Indian Constitution grants freedom, equality, equal rights and an equal vote. Nonsense will not be tolerated here, and strict action should be taken against such an individual,' he said.

Broader Context

This is not the first time statements by religious figures on women's roles have drawn political censure in India. The remarks come at a time when debates around gender equality, constitutional rights, and the limits of religious commentary on public life remain live and contested. Notably, the breadth of condemnation — spanning the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-aligned Shiv Sena, the Congress, the TMC, and Kerala's own state government — signals rare cross-ideological consensus on the issue. How the cleric or his organisation responds remains to be seen.