Kerala Police have registered a case against Abdulla Basil CP, a leader of the Wisdom Islamic Organisation, following a complaint by Aparna Kurup, senior coordinating editor of Big TV.
Basil had criticised Kurup on social media over remarks she made about the Muslim community during a television debate on the role of women in Islam.
The case has drawn criticism, with several Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MLAs calling for it to be withdrawn.
Dispute Over Big Dialogue Remarks
The controversy began with an episode of Big TV’s Big Dialogue that discussed remarks by Sunni scholar Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, who had said that women should remain confined to their homes.
Kurup, who introduced the programme, made remarks about the Muslim community that Basil later criticised on social media.
Kurup subsequently complained to the police, alleging that she received threats following Basil’s post.
The police registered a case against Basil based on her complaint.
Big TV later apologised for remarks made during the programme. The channel said some comments made during the discussion on gender discrimination against women “should have been omitted”.
“We express our deepest regret if this hurt anyone’s religious sentiments or beliefs,” the channel said.
It also said the video had been removed from its social media platforms because it “had the potential to spread misunderstanding in society”.
Case Against TV Editor Too
The controversy has led to cases being registered against both sides.
Kochi City Police have also registered a case against Kurup following a complaint filed by a Kasaragod resident over her allegedly objectionable remarks.
The FIR against Basil has faced criticism from IUML legislators, who have demanded that the case be withdrawn.
Kerala Congress Leader Rejects Kanthapuram’s Remarks
Kerala Congress leader VD Satheesan has also opposed Kanthapuram’s comments on women.
Speaking to reporters on September 2, Satheesan said such views might have been expressed centuries ago but had no place in modern society.
“We cannot agree with that view in any way, whatsoever. It is something that someone in the nineteenth century might have said; it has no place being said in the twenty-first century,” Satheesan said.
He said women should not be confined to their homes and should participate fully in public life.
“Our progressive view is that women are not people who should remain confined to their homes. They should participate in all aspects of life and be part of the mainstream of society,” he said.
“There should be absolutely no doubt about that.”
Satheesan added that neither the Congress nor the UDF government would support such a position.
What Did Kanthapuram Say?
Kanthapuram made the controversial remarks at an Islamic conference in Kochi on Sunday.
He reportedly said that bringing women into the public sphere would lead to “great destruction” and argued that Islam prescribed purdah to prevent this.
His comments sparked a wider debate in Kerala over women’s participation in public life, religious interpretation and criticism of religious communities.
