KOZHIKODE:Sunni Muslim leader Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar on Saturday said moves for gender equality have been aimed at destroying Islam.
“The obstinacy that boys and girls should study sitting on the same bench is an indirect attack aimed at destroying Islam and its culture. Gender equality is not Islamic, wise or humane,” Kanthapuram said, while speaking during a campus conference organised by SSF.
Stressing his point, Kanthapuram said women could only give birth. “It (gender equality) is not going to happen. Women can only deliver babies. This world is controlled by men. Women can’t withstand a major crisis and they even lack courage to perform major surgeries including open heart procedures,” he observed.
Responding to the allegation that children have been subjected to abuse at madrasas, he said: “Those who raise the allegation should bring evidence for it.”
However, Kanthapuram later issued a statement saying that his words had been distorted. “Islam is a religion that respects the role of women. There are women who deliver services like angels in education, health care and in the running of families. But unlike men, women have certain limitations. She need to be given special protection and consideration. Giving birth and raising kids are the special blessings given by the nature to woman. I have only touched on this greatness of womanhood in my speech. But it has been distorted,” he said.