Kerala Labour Minister Bindu Krishnan on Monday publicly rebuked the controversial remarks made by Grand Mufti of India Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, widely known as Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar, who argued that women should remain confined to their homes and stay out of the public sphere. The minister's remarks came in response to statements the cleric made at the Hubbur Rasool conference of the Kerala Muslim Jamaath held in Kochi.

What the Minister Said

'The Constitution treats everyone as equal. The President of the country herself is a woman. One can follow one’s religious beliefs, but the Constitution must also be respected,' Bindu Krishnan said. While acknowledging the right to freedom of expression, she made clear that the cleric’s views were 'not something that should be emulated.'

What Kanthapuram Said

Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar, regarded as one of the most senior and influential religious authorities of the Sunni Muslim community in India, reiterated at the conference that women must live within the confines of their homes. He claimed that their entry into the public sphere would lead to 'great destruction' and argued that restricting women from public life was, in fact, an expression of respect for them.

He also invoked the purdah system, asserting that women appearing in public would lead to undesirable consequences and that this position reflects the teachings of the Quran. He defended his authority to make such pronouncements, stating that he and his associates had studied religion thoroughly and that guiding the Muslim community on matters of religious practice was their 'obligatory responsibility.'

The Circular That Triggered the Row

The controversy did not emerge in isolation. A circular issued earlier by the Kanthapuram faction of Samastha had already drawn sharp criticism — it instructed that women should not appear on public roads or at public venues alongside unrelated men. The backlash intensified after girls and women participated in Prophet’s Day celebration rallies, directly challenging the directive. The Kochi conference remarks were widely seen as a doubling-down on that position.

Broader Implications for Kerala

The episode has reignited debate in Kerala’s political and social spheres over where religious authority ends and constitutional guarantees of equality and individual liberty begin. Notably, this is not the first time that statements from conservative religious factions in the state have drawn a government response — but a sitting Cabinet minister directly invoking the Constitution and the office of the President in rebuke marks a pointed escalation in tone.

The issue is expected to generate further political and civil society debate as opposition voices and women’s groups weigh in on the constitutional dimensions of the controversy.