Politics · India Bureau
Kerala student body decries Islamic seminary directive as anti-women
Student Federation of India condemns a circular issued by Kerala's Kanthapuram Samastha Islamic seminary, arguing it runs counter to women's rights and progress. The organization points to judicial milestones including the appointment of Justice M. Fathima Beevi as India's first female Supreme Court judge in 1989.
LSN India ·
The Student Federation of India's Kerala unit has come out against a circular issued by the Kanthapuram Samastha, an influential Islamic seminary in the state, characterizing it as discriminatory toward women. P.S. Sanjeev, the federation's state secretary, expressed concern that the directive contradicts the trajectory of women's advancement in Kerala's Muslim community. Sanjeev highlighted the historic appointment of Justice M. Fathima Beevi as India's first woman judge to the Supreme Court in 1989, citing it as evidence of the progress Muslim women have achieved in professional and institutional spheres. The statement underscores ongoing debates in Kerala regarding religious directives and their compatibility with constitutional gender equality principles. The controversy reflects broader discussions across India about balancing religious traditions with secular legal frameworks and women's rights.