A meeting of Muslim organisations held here on Monday vowed to resist attempts to enforce liberal gender neutral concepts in educational institutions in the State.
It was convened by Panakkad Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal, State president of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). In his absence, the meeting was chaired by Panakkad Syed Rasheedali Shihab Thangal. The meeting was reportedly organised in the wake of the proposed changes in the curriculum for the implementation of the New Education Policy of the Union government and the revision of syllabus by the State government.
Addressing the media later, Rasheedali Shihab Thangal said a majority of people in Kerala were religious believers, and the society had high regard for family structure and moral values. Religious believers had their own lifestyles and convictions. Democracy demanded freedom for people who hold different ideas and values. Cancelling them once and for all to implement liberal ideas in educational institutions was nothing but a fascist move. The argument that gender neutrality was required to put an end to gender inequality would lead to anarchy, he said.
The leaders claimed that they were questioning the gender neutral ideas being propagated through the curriculum. This was not only a dress-related issue. The Left Democratic Front government should desist from imposing liberal ideas on educational institutions.
IUML general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty said the question was up to what extent the concept of gender neutrality was being implemented. “Dress is only one of the items in it. There are many more details. Many Western countries that implemented this concept are going backwards now,” he claimed. The IUML leader said a memorandum would be submitted to the government.
Representatives of both the factions of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulema, the three factions of the Kerala Nadvathul Mujhideen, Jamaat-e-Islami, Muslim Educational Society, and the Muslim Service Society were present.
