Despite Kerala’s claim of being 100% literate, the persistence of dogmatism and fundamentalism continues to restrict the participation of Muslim women, even in academic and campus events. A recent incident has sparked widespread criticism, where Muslim female students wearing hijabs were segregated and seated behind a curtain, with male students positioned in the front, during a debate at Kasaragod College. The event was focused on the topic “From Gaza to Science and Religion.”
A photo from the debate surfaced, showing Dr. Abdullah Basil CP, a prominent figure with strong Islamic fundamentalist views, addressing the gathering. The image clearly shows a curtain drawn between male and female students during the event.
Dr. Basil, known for his advocacy of the hijab, has previously been involved in controversial incidents promoting Islamic conservatism. In one such instance, a video surfaced where Dr. Basil silenced a female student who had argued against the hijab. The student had stated that women wear makeup and fashionable clothes not to attract men, but to boost their own self-confidence. Dr. Basil, however, countered with what many deemed absurd arguments, asserting that modesty, symbolized by the hijab, is the true expression of self-confidence.
The video, recorded just a few days ago, shows Dr. Basil speaking on the virtues of simplicity, claiming that wearing no makeup or fancy clothes signifies a deeper, purer form of self-confidence. His remarks were echoed by an organization called Umasking Anomalies, which promotes Islamic teachings and uses Dr. Basil’s words as propaganda. The organization has urged Malayali-speaking audiences, particularly youth, to pay attention to his thoughts on the hijab, presenting them as an idealized version of simplicity and modesty.
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Figures like Dr. Abdullah Basil and organizations such as Umasking Anomalies are actively working to influence college students with their Islamic fundamentalist views. They argue that true freedom and self-confidence for women lie in adhering to a conservative interpretation of Islamic practices, such as wearing the hijab. This rhetoric continues to limit the autonomy and empowerment of young women, using religious dogma as a means of control.
(With inputs from OpIndia)
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