IUML State president says women’s safety concerns might have prompted Kanthapuram’s remarks

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Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) Keralam president Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal has sought to play down the controversy over All India Jamiyyathul Ulama general secretary Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar’s remarks about women taking part in public religious celebrations.

Mr. Thangal said on Tuesday (September 1, 2026) that the Sunni leader might have been motivated by concerns over women’s safety, rather than an intention to restrict their rights.

The IUML leader said that Mr. Kanthapuram may have intended the restriction for the “benefit of women,” given the growing instances of women being “abused and misused” in contemporary society. Mr. Thangal suggested that Mr. Kanthapuram’s call for restrictions could be understood as an appeal for greater social control.

“Kanthapuram Aboobacker Musliar may have meant that there should be a control for everything,” Mr. Thangal said, indicating that the controversial remarks could have been rooted in concerns over maintaining social discipline.

The IUML president stopped short of criticising Mr. Kanthapuram’s position. Instead, he stressed that the Muslim League would stand with what it considers beneficial to society.

The remarks assume significance as Mr. Kanthapuram’s comments a few days ago sparked a debate over women’s right to participate in public programmes.

A circular issued by the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama that he leads had urged mahal and madrasa committees and religious institutions not to allow women to take part in celebrations on public stages and roads, particularly in the presence of unrelated men. Mr. Kanthapuram later defended the position at a meet in Kochi, saying women should remain confined to their homes. He also defended the practice of purdah as a means of preventing social problems.

The remarks drew criticism from political leaders and sections of civil society, with critics seeing the call as an attempt to impose greater restrictions on women’s presence in public spaces.

The IUML president, however, framed the issue differently, placing the emphasis on safety, social responsibility and the need for limits in public life. The IUML president also underlined the Muslim League’s broader political positioning, describing the party as a common platform committed to social and community unity. “We will work for social unity and community unity,” Mr. Thangal said.

His response helped the IUML avoid a direct clash with Mr. Kanthapuram. It also signalled that the party would be guided by what it considers beneficial to society. This could help the IUML navigate the controversy without alienating sections of its traditional religious constituency.

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