Kerala Muslim League leader and former legislator Abdurahiman Randathani botched a controversy for his remark on co-ed schooling and criticism towards the new school curriculum by the state government.
Addressing a rally in north Kerala’s Kannur on Tuesday, he hit out at the state’s education system and the new curriculum claiming it promotes homosexuality. Randathani said sex education and gender neutrality will encourage homosexuality and sexual perversion among students.
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The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader said, “in the name of sexual education, the government was encouraging homosexuality and pervert acts like masturbation.”
“The government claims that if a boy and a girl are made to sit together it will bring revolutionary changes in the field of education but in the name of sex education, children are being taught about homosexuality and masturbation and it will create anarchy,” he said.
After his speech triggered an uproar, he clarified that he was commenting on the “flawed curriculum reforms”. He reiterated that mixed classrooms and gender-neutral uniforms were against the culture of the state.
Slamming the leader, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asked him to withdraw his statement.
“This shows their narrow mindset. They want to treat women as second-class citizens and deny them their due. In one part of the world, women are fighting against hijab but here some people are fighting for it,” said BJP leader S Suresh.
The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) is yet to comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, following a protest from the Muslim community over the issue, state education minister V Sivankutty on Monday told the Kerala assembly that the government has no plans to impose a change in uniforms or school timings.
“There were some suggestions by the school curriculum revision committee but the government is yet to take a decision on them,” he said adding, “School management and parent-teachers associations can take decisions on uniforms. The government has no plan to impose.”
