'We will not tolerate amendments in Shariat laws'

D Jose in Thiruvanthapuram

The National Women's Commission's bid to open a debate on Muslim personal law is facing stiff resistance from conservative Muslims in Kerala.

A recent seminar organised by the state Women's Commission at Kozhikode could make no headway. The participants -- both Muslim men and women -- stonewalled any discussion on the controversial issue.

NWC chairperson Mohini Giri's clarification that the seminar was to discuss the problems confronting Muslim women fell on stone-deaf ears.

Indian Union Muslim League leader C T Mohammad Basheer said the invitations to the seminar created the impression that it was aimed at amending the Muslim personal law and demanded an apology from the organisers.

Giri clarified the Commission's stand, and tendered an open apology for 'bungling' the invitations.

State WC chairperson Sugatha Kumari's speech detailing instances of exploitations against Muslim women only complicated the issue further. Basheer intervened and accused the Commission of making sweeping generalisations about the condition of Muslim women on the basis of few isolated incidents.

Many issues listed on the agenda had to be dropped, and the seminar wound up without evolving any consensus.

Muslim leaders have questioned the Commission's authority to hold such a seminar. The Jamait Islami alleged the seminar was to elicit the Kerala Muslim's opinion about amending Shariat laws and warned they would not tolerate any such attempts.