“Suprabhatam” Malayalam daily, the mouthpiece of Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama (A.P. faction), has asked Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheeshan to speak with decency while strongly criticising him over his remarks on Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musaliyar’s statement concerning women.
In its September 6 editorial, the newspaper criticised CM Satheeshan for rejecting Kanthapuram’s remarks.
Satheeshan had dismissed Kanthapuram’s comments as “uncivilized thoughts from the 19th century”.
The CM had also emphasised that Islamic history narrates the story of women working outside their homes and cited the Prophet’s wife as one among them.
The “Suprabhatam” editorial alleged that Congress leader Satheeshan had opposed the entry of young women into the Sabarimala temple. It questioned his latest support for women’s freedom, describing it as a double standard.
The newspaper also described Satheeshan’s statement on Islamic history as being like “a blind man watching an elephant”.
The editorial questioned the Chief Minister’s stand on the Munambam issue and the PM Shree scheme. It indirectly blamed Satheeshan for not publicly supporting Muslim outfits in the Munambam issue, where 600 to 610 families, mostly backward-class Latin Catholic Christians, are described as victims. These families are unable to enjoy their revenue rights to their lands as the Waqf Board has claimed ownership of the lands.
The editorial also criticised Satheeshan’s claim that he reads extensively and highlighted the literary contributions of Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala.
The editorial concluded by warning the Chief Minister to correct his statement against religious heads and scholars.
The controversy also referred to Satheeshan’s Facebook post against Kanthapuram’s remarks, which, according to the input, disappeared after Kanthapuram’s close lieutenants visited him at his official residence.
The developments surrounding Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musaliyar’s statement have been presented as evidence that power is being controlled by Muslim factions in Kerala rather than the party leadership in Delhi, and that Chief Minister V.D. Satheeshan quickly prostrated to their demands and was being lectured and tutored by Islamic organisations.
Meanwhile, Kanthapuram A.P. Abubaker Musaliyar, general secretary of Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama (A.P. faction), said in Kozhikode on September 6 that he would organise Sharie-Eth conferences in all districts of the state.
Addressing the Marcus Milad conference, he said he would continue speaking about Islamic laws and telling people what the Prophet said.
Committees of mosques controlled by Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama (A.P. faction), an organisation led by Sunni scholars and religious experts, were given instructions on August 26 following the Idul Milad celebrations.
The instructions said Islamic celebrations should not cross religious limits and that celebrations should be organised in mosques, madrasas and Islamic institutions in compliance with Islamic parameters.
Kanthapuram A.P. Abubaker Musaliyar had earlier stated that “exhibiting women before men, who are not their relations, in public places and programmes and participating in un-Islamic programme do not suit the believers”.
He later repeated the same remarks at a public programme. He said the Quran teaches that women should be confined to their homes and that if women enter public spaces, it will lead to disaster. He added that this was why purdah was introduced.
