Kerala Anchor Faces Police Case After Row Over Muslim Scholar's Remarks

A television debate over Sunni scholar Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar's comments on Muslim women and public participation has now led to separate police cases involving the programme's anchor and one of its panellists.

The Kochi City Cyber Police on Monday registered a case against Malayalam television journalist Aparna Kurup following a complaint filed by Kasaragod resident Abdul Hakeem B.M.

The complaint relates to statements made by the anchor during the television debate, which triggered a controversy and was later removed by the channel.

Police have invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 192, dealing with provocation intended to cause rioting, and Section 299, which covers deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings.

The development comes days after police registered another case based on a complaint filed by Aparna Kurup.

That case names Abdulla Basil C.P., vice-president of Wisdom Students, the student wing of the Wisdom Islamic Organisation in Kerala, along with another unidentified person. Basil had participated in the same television discussion.

Kurup alleged that social media posts following the programme had defamed her and posed a threat to her safety. Basil had later posted a video criticising what he described as Islamophobic remarks made during the introduction to the debate.

Both the journalist and the television channel had earlier expressed regret over the remarks that sparked the controversy.

The state government is also understood to have asked police not to rush further action in the case involving Basil after the registration of the case drew criticism from several quarters.

The larger controversy began with Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar's remarks advising Muslim women against sharing public spaces with unrelated men during religious celebrations.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheeshan criticised the remarks as being out of sync with 21st century progressive thought, while the Indian Union Muslim League adopted a more guarded position. IUML state president Panakkad Sadikali Shihab Thangal described Kanthapuram's comments as an expression of a scholar's religious view.

AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal also avoided taking an immediate position, saying the Congress would clarify its stand at an appropriate time.

The remarks have continued to trigger political reactions in Kerala, with several women leaders also publicly criticising Kanthapuram's position.

Koduvally MLA and Muslim Youth League general secretary P.K. Firos said the channel and its reporters had jointly submitted a complaint to the Director General of Police after Abdulla put forward what he described as a precise and academic response during the debate. Firos said the DGP had informed him that an FIR had been registered.

Firos also said he had told the Home Minister that the case must be withdrawn, arguing that seeking such a withdrawal was part of why the Indian Union Muslim League was in power. 

He said the party would not protect anyone who unnecessarily spread communalism in Kerala but would not allow cases to be pursued against those exposing what he described as the reality of people spreading communalism.