Sunni Islamist organisations in Kerala are up in arms against the CPI(M) government’s decision to introduce Zumba dance sessions in schools as part of a wider initiative to combat increasing drug use among students. The move by the Pinarayi Vijayan led government has sparked strong criticism from Sunni Islamic groups, who allege that the programme is blasphemous and culturally inappropriate.
Organisations such as Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, Wisdom Islamic Organisation, Samastha Kerala Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS), and the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) have voiced their protest, claiming that the initiative is yet another attempt to undermine religious values. The current controversy mirrors previous agitations against gender-inclusive seating arrangements in classrooms, which also saw strong opposition from conservative Islamic groups. The government, under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, had yielded to those earlier demands.
Nasser Faizi Koodathai, a senior cleric of Samastha, said that if the government has mandated Zumba sessions for older children in a mixed-gender format, it is objectionable. Bahauddin Nadvi, a Mushavara member of Samastha, echoed these sentiments, alleging that the initiative appears to be aimed at insulting religious beliefs. Nadvi also urged other religious organizations to respond, posting his views on social media.
Sunni Yuvajana Sangham leader Abdusamad Pookottur added that Zumba dance undermines religious values and introduces a culture of men and women dancing together, which he described as practically unacceptable. While acknowledging the need for awareness programmes to tackle drug addiction, he said that initiatives must align with the state’s moral framework. He stated that he would approach the government and request a withdrawal of the decision.
Wisdom Islamic Organization’s General Secretary TK Ashraf also opposed the implementation of Zumba in schools as part of the anti-drug campaign. The organization argued that schools are not the place to promote a culture of mixed-gender dancing and attire deemed inappropriate. Ashraf remarked that he remained primitive in this regard and believed such initiatives compromise cultural and religious norms.
The Muslim Students Federation (MSF) also raised objections, stating that the government should not have imposed the programme unilaterally without consulting stakeholders.
The Education Department had recently announced the introduction of Zumba in all government and aided schools across the state. The initiative was framed as a strategy to wean children away from substance abuse and school violence, while also enhancing their mental and physical wellbeing. Teachers received training for the programme last month as part of their annual refresher sessions in preparation for the academic year.
In this context, if the government is truly serious about eradicating drugs from educational institutions, the first step should be to ban the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) from campuses. Targeting Zumba while ignoring the role of student organizations implicated in drug distribution only serves to politicize the issue rather than address it.
There are allegations that the CPI(M)’s student wing, SFI, is involved in distributing drugs in colleges across Kerala. The organisation is also accused of playing a major role in gang violence incidents in schools and colleges linked to drug use. In this context, the most crucial step the government should take as part of its anti-drug measures is to ban SFI from campuses.
However, the Islamist organisations are facing criticism for attempting to enforce Taliban-style restrictions and Sharia-inspired norms in the state. By opposing initiatives like mixed-gender Zumba sessions in schools and resisting efforts to promote social interaction between boys and girls, these groups are trying to impose a regressive moral code under the guise of religious propriety.
However, with local body elections scheduled in Kerala for October and state assembly elections due next year, the CPI(M)-led government may be compelled to reconsider its decision in light of the mounting protests. The communist government led by Pinarayi Vijayan is likely to roll back the programme as part of a broader pattern of appeasement politics that has shaped its approach to religious organizations over the past decades.
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