By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Malappuram: The controversy surrounding the news that the Muslim League had introduced a code of conduct for its female candidates is achieving new dimension as the party leaders now deny any such code of conduct. Party general secretary PK Kunhalikkutty yesterday said that the party had made no such code and that the party had not enforced any compulsions in the matter. The denial has come after stringent criticism arose from several corners on the matter.
Mr Kunhalikkutty said that the CPI (M) might have its own policies related to female candidates but that won’t be followed in the case of Muslim League. He added in the press conference held at Malappuram that the controversy on the matter was unnecessary.
The Muslim League has not introduced any religious code of conduct for women aiming solely at the election, said PK Abdurabb, MLA, Muslim League Malappuram district general secretary and UDF district convener. He said that the religion (Islam) had its own order and rules for the life of man and woman, whether contesting in elections or not. The matter regarding the code of conduct issue has been cleared by Mr Kunhalikkutty. He added that the state secretary Adv KNA Qader also must have said the same when he spoke at a face-to-face programme in Malappuram.
Mr KNA Qader had reportedly said last week that the party had decided to introduce a code of conduct for its female candidates which would help them work in the public field keeping the religious values and norms. He had added that the code would be applicable to the men also.
Muslim League general secretary PK Kunhalikkutty had earlier reportedly said that the activities of the Women’s League would not be like that of feminists or the CPI (M), but would be following religious orders. It would also take care not to affect the family set-up adversely. KK Shailaja Teacher of the CPI (M)’s Democratic Women’s Association harshly criticised this code of conduct stating the League was trying to enforce Talibanism among Muslim women.
The Samastha Kerala Jam’iyathul Ulema, which is closely associated with the League, is basically against the public entry of women in general and sees it as haraam, and opines it can be allowed only in cases of emergency. The so-called code of conduct is said to be a way to pacify the Samastha which the league cannot ignore. The code of conduct reportedly includes norms of participating in marches and demonstrations where men would be the majority, attending public meetings, election campaigning and its time etc.
The League has never had any women representative in the state Assembly. Qamarunneesa Anvar had contested in Kozhikode 2 seat in the 1996 Assembly election, but lost. However, the party had fielded some women in the local bodies in the seats reserved for women. Adv KP Mariyumma of the party had served as the Malappuram district panchayat president.