The Kudumbashree Mission, a poverty eradication and women empowerment programme implemented by the State Poverty Eradication Mission (SPEM) under the Kerala government, has denied that they withdrew a gender-neutral oath after criticism from Muslim organisations but has decided to make it voluntary.
The oath-taking was envisaged as part of the ‘'Nayi Chetna' gender campaign organised under the leadership of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). In Kerala, the campaign began on November 25 and is being organised by the Kudumbashree. It aims to equip women to recognise and defend violence and also to provide knowledge about their rights.
The oath begins by stating that “whether it is a son or a daughter we will celebrate their birth.” It ends with: “We will give equal rights to properties for both sons and daughters. We will support the weak and orphaned.” Though the oath was in tune with the aims of the campaign, it was not accepted by some Muslim religious groups.
Nasar Faizi Koodathayi, leader of the Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyathul Qutba Committee, Jamaath-e-Islami leader Ilyas Moulavi and Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen, all fundamental muslim group leaders, came out against the oath stating that Islam does not accept equal rights on properties for men and women. Earlier, the state government plan to promote gender-neutral uniforms was vehemently opposed by Muslim organisations including Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulema and leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a front partner in the United Democratic Front (UDF).
“There is a proposal (in the circular) to take a pledge in the gender resource meeting in Kudumbashree during the fourth week. In the last portion of the pledge, it asks women members to say: ``We will give property rights to sons and daughters equally,” Nasar Faizi Koodathayi wrote on his Facebook page, expressing resentment.
He claimed that as per the Holy Quran, a man has a share of property equal to that of two women and the female member has been allowed half of what a male member gets from father’s property.
But, this could not be considered as a discrimination as the man has the complete responsibility of looking after the family, the scholar further said.
“Those who allege discrimination in this was not seeing the expenses that the male member has to bear. A man should bear all expenses of the woman”, he added.
Media reports said the Kudumbashree Mission had withdrawn the line from their oath following the criticism but it was denied by the organisation’s Executive Director Jafar Malik. Speaking to TNM the officer said “We will have the same oath. But we will not force anybody to take the oath. One can take it voluntarily. This was part of an awareness campaign.”He also said that despite the controversy, many women including from Muslim community are taking the oath.
The stand taken by Muslim organisations was widely criticised on social media. There were heated discussions over reactionary stand of Muslim groups in social media. The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also joined issue alleging that the Kudumbashree redacted lines from youth following pressure from Muslim organisations.