Leave it, move forward: Muslim League MLA downplays Keralam cleric’s anti-woman remarks

At the India Today Roundtable Kerala, Fathima Thahaliya distanced herself from Kanthapuram’s remarks while defending his right to voice them. She said disagreement can coexist with respect and urged attention to women’s rights over prolonged controversy.

Fathima Thahaliya said she disagrees with Kanthapuram's remarks but maintained that he had the constitutional right to express his views, urging people to respect differences.

Fathima Thahaliya, the Indian Union Muslim League's first and only woman MLA in Keralam, on Thursday sought to downplay anti-woman remarks made by a Muslim cleric, Kanthapuram AP Abubakkar Musliyar, saying everyone has the right to express their opinion in a democracy and urging people to "leave such remarks" and "move forward".

Speaking at the India Today Roundtable Keralam, Thahaliya described Kanthapuram as a leader of the highest stature who had made significant contributions to society, and said people should not get entangled in his remarks.

"Yes, he has full freedom to make a statement in this country, and it is his constitutional right," she said.

Kanthapuram, the leader of one of the factions of the Samastha Kerala Jamiatul Ulama, recently said that Islam restricts women to their homes and that "displaying" women in public places would bring "great destruction". His remarks triggered a major controversy, but the cleric stood by his comments and later reiterated that what he had said was based on religious scriptures.

Asked directly whether she agreed with Kanthapuram's remarks, Thahaliya reiterated that she did not, but said she continued to have "huge respect" for him because of his influence and contribution to society.

"I do not have a view like his. I'm of the opposite view ...I do not agree with him, but I have a huge respect for him, as he is one of the most influential people, making many impacts on society," she said.

Thahaliya was then asked how she reconciled her disagreement with Kanthapuram’s remarks with her respect for him. She said the two positions were not contradictory, arguing that disagreement could coexist with respect and dialogue.

"This means those two things are contradictory. I stand for women’s rights, and I have respect. These will go hand in hand. You can have dialogues. You can have respect. You can have a better kind of engagement in society together," she said.

She also argued that differences of opinion should not become a reason for personal attacks.

"Any person can have any opinion. That doesn't mean that we have to... OK, we found someone, we’ll attack this person because he’s not having the same point of view as mine," she said.

Asked whether Kanthapuram's remarks could have an impact on women and girls, Thahaliya said the cleric had clarified his position and that individuals could decide for themselves whether they wanted to follow his views.

"He had clarified it, and it is his dialogue. If anybody wants to follow him, let them follow, otherwise, just leave it," she said.

Thahaliya said people associated with religion could hold different opinions and argued that Kanthapuram's comments should be viewed as his personal opinion rather than as something that necessarily represented or affected religion.

"There are followers in religious-wise, people will have different kinds of opinion. Religion is a kind of theory with a definite pattern. So, it is not hitting on religion or something. Just that man had told his opinion," she said.

She again underlined Kanthapuram's influence while stressing that he had clarified his position.

"He is so respectful, and he's having a great impact, and he himself has clarified it," she said.

'HIJAB IS NOT PULLING YOU BACK'

The IUML MLA also spoke about her own experience of wearing the hijab and said she did not believe that wearing it or carrying religious symbols prevented women from crossing barriers.

"There is nothing which you cannot cross wearing this hijab, and wearing this identity and religious symbols. That's what my experience taught," she said.

"You go and hit the bell, every door will open. Wearing a hijab is not pulling you back," she added.

Her remarks came during a discussion on women’s rights and the broader question of how women should respond to views with which they disagree.

Thahaliya eventually urged people not to remain focused on the controversy and instead turn their attention to issues concerning women.

"We should not mess up with these kinds of mess. We have a lot of things for women to do in our country, to do in this society," she said.

Pointing to her own involvement in the struggle for women’s rights, Thahaliya said the focus should remain on moving forward rather than becoming entangled in disagreements over individual remarks.

"I have already stood forward for women’s rights, and you know the struggle which we had made through all this journey. So, it is better to leave such things. We can move forward," she said.

Thahaliya's comments are also in line with the position taken by her party, the Indian Union Muslim League, which has not condemned Kanthapuram's remarks. IUML leaders also visited the cleric amid the controversy, marking a significant development following the split within the Samastha organisation, with one faction under Kanthapuram’s leadership.