India, Aug. 31 -- Senior CPI(M) leader P.K. Sreemathy Teacher has criticised Islamic scholar Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar for saying women should remain confined to their homes.

Kanthapuram, speaking at an Islamic conference in Kochi on Sunday, Aug 30 said bringing women onto public platforms would lead to "great destruction," and that Islam prescribed purdah for women to prevent this. "It is precisely recognising that bringing women onto public platforms in this manner causes great destruction that Islam mandated purdah for women. The Holy Quran states that women should live confined within their homes and must not make public appearances," he said.

Reacting to the remarks, Sreemathy, also a prominent leader of the All India De...