Taliban mentality? Kerala Muslim cleric rebukes organisers for inviting girl student on stage

Several social media users are raising questions like, "Is Kerala turning into another Taliban?" after an incident where a Muslim cleric lashed out at his fellow clerics for inviting a meritorious girl on stage to receive an award comes to light in Kerala.

 

The incident took place at an event organised by the Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, also known as Samastha, the controversial Islamist body in Kerala.Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader Panakkad Sayed Abbas Ali Shihab Thangal handed over the award to the girl student. The video of the incident has gone viral on social media.

 

 

 

As per the video, Samastha leader MT Abdulla Musaliyar was felicitating several students who had successfully completed their Class 10 exams. However, he soon got irked when a class 10 student named Machida was called on stage to receive the trophy for topping her class. While reprimanding the members present on the stage, Musaliyar reportedly questioned the organisers for inviting a 'girl to the stage' and warned them that it is against the rules of Samastha.

 

"Who has invited this 10th standard girl on stage? If you repeat this, beware. Don't invite such girls. Don't you know the decision and policy? Call their guardians instead. Did you invite her?" the cleric asked.

 

He then went on to admonish those who called her on stage and questioned if photographs of the event will be taken. Upon being told that the images will be broadcasted, the cleric expresses his reservations over sharing the stage with the girl child.