Thiruvananthapuram, Sept. 2 -- Keralam CM VD Satheeshan on Wednesday hit out at prominent Sunni cleric and Grand Mufti of India Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar over his remarks advocating restrictions on women's participation in public life, saying such statements push women "centuries back" and cannot be accepted.

Speaking to reporters the Keralam CM said that women must join the mainstream and the state government does not subscribe to the clerics view.

"We don't agree with his statement that women should stay home. It's not a suitable stand in our developing Keralam. It's not the 19th century that one should make such statements. Even Islam doesn't say that. Women should not stay home, but join the mainstream. That is our stand...