IUML State president says women’s safety concerns might have prompted Kanthapuram’s remarks
IUML leader Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal has defended Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar’s controversial remarks about restricting women's public participation. He suggested the comments were motivated by safety concerns rather than an intent to suppress rights.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing debates within religious and political circles regarding women's rights and public space in India.
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.
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