In a shocking display of patriarchy, a Muslim woman leader in Kerala was told by her male colleague that she cannot address a gathering as it had men in the audience too.
60-year old Kamarunissa Anwar, who is a Muslim woman leader of the Muslim League, was told this by party’ state secretary MC Mayin Haji that this was against the tradition of his party to allow women to speak to men.
Haji told NDTV:
“Women do not address public gatherings. Women are given much more respect than men, the reason why we don’t encourage them to be part of processions or late night events. Women were welcome to speak to a specific audience like a delegation, but must not address public gatherings.”
Anwar is the head of the Muslim league’s women’s wing and she said that she did not feel sad over it.
Kamarunissa Anwar, the Muslim woman leader was attending the state conference of Muslim Youth League in Kozhikode on November 12th,2016 where she was informed that she could not deliver a speech as she is a woman.
Anwar was the sole woman on the dais along with many male Muslim leaders of the Muslim League.
Haji later also told Asianet News that even the Mujahid movement (the Kerala Nadvatul Mujahideen), considered a ‘progressive and modern Islamic movement,’ does not allow women to speak in their conferences.
The issue created a storm after their conversation was leaked to the public by unknown people.
The Muslim woman leader had earlier strongly criticised her party failing to field any women in the Kerala state elections.
She had cited the insecurity of men for the absence of the women in the political battlefield.
