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Samastha cannot dictate to Muslim women | CM Vijay’s PM dream | South Central 91

South Central discusses the controversial remarks by Muslim religious leader Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar on women’s participation in public religious events and the growing calls for Tamil Nadu CM Vijay to become Prime Minister in 2029.

Dhanya Rajendran, Pooja Prasanna

Published:4th Sep, 2026 at 6:00 PM

Should women be confined to their homes? Kerala’s latest controversy over a Muslim religious leader’s remarks has sparked a wider debate on patriarchy, women’s agency and reform within religious communities.

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In this week's South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna discuss controversial remarks by Muslim religious leader Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar on women’s participation in public religious events.

They are joined by Shahina KK, Founder and Editor of Offbeat Concerns, and Sunaina Shahida Ikbal, Writer, Psychologist and Academician, to discuss the backlash to the remarks, the response from Muslim women in Kerala, and the larger question of patriarchy within religious communities.

The panel discusses how women within the Muslim community have pushed back against such restrictions, with Shahina pointing out that many Muslim women are publicly questioning religious leaders and drawing on Islamic history to challenge claims that women should not participate in public life.

She also argues that the response to such statements needs to consider class, noting that many women, do not have the “luxury of sitting at home”.

The discussion also looks at how Muslim women have increasingly used social media and public platforms to resist restrictions, even while facing potential backlash.

Sunaina says that all religions are anti-women and highly patriarchal.

“It's against the other gender minorities as well. And see, we cannot see any Semitic religion which is supporting Queer community. They are outrightly against the Queer communities and their rights,” she adds.

The panel then examines whether reform within religious communities must come from within, and whether political leaders are taking consistent positions on women’s rights or responding to electoral considerations.

In the second part of the episode, the conversation turns to the growing calls for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay to become Prime Minister in 2029, and what the phenomenon says about celebrity politics, political cults and Vijay’s ambitions.

The hosts are joined by journalist E.T.B. Sivapriyan.

He says that the discussion did not begin with an India Today poll, but much earlier, during debates around delimitation.

Sivapriyan describes it as the political “cult” around the actor-turned-politician becoming increasingly visible.

“I see this as a character of the cult showing up. The cult behaves this way,” he says, adding, “Fans decided even in 2025 that the first goal is to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, and once that is achieved, automatically, the next goal is becoming the Prime Minister of India. I think that is what is happening now.”

The panel also debates whether the Prime Minister talk is a deliberate political strategy to shift attention away from issues within Tamil Nadu, or whether Vijay’s supporters genuinely believe a national role is inevitable.

The discussion also examines TVK’s potential alliances, Congress’ response and whether Vijay could emerge as a kingmaker in national politics.

Audio timecodes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:30 - Headlines

00:09:37 - Grand Mufti - Statements, influence and pushback

00:48:26 - Vijay as PM

01:11:25 - Recommendations

References

The hunt for Sukumara Kurup: How a Malayalam channel ‘exclusive’ fell apart

DKS to change stance on parks law? | Powertrip #163

LME in Hyderabad as SIR stokes fear | Let Me Explain

Jayalalithaa interview Times Now 2007