KOZHIKODE: The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act will become redundant if gender neutrality becomes a reality, said IUML state secretary and former minister Dr M K Muneer.
Addressing a meeting of the Kerala Arabic Teachers Association here on Thursday, he said, usually, Pocso cases are taken against men who sexually abuse boys.
But if gender neutrality is applied in such sexual abuses, the Pocso Act would be rendered irrelevant. This will lead to an increase in sexual abuse cases against children, he said. Later talking to reporters, Muneer said his statement was misquoted by certain media outlets and he would move the court against them. “What I said was that the idea of gender neutrality could be misused,” he said.
Muneer said there should be gender sensitisation before implementing gender neutrality in schools. There will be certain cases of persons physically overpowering others. “Currently, the Pocso Act in invoked in such cases. But there will be a chance that such abuse can be justified in the name of gender neutrality,” he said.