Big TV’s Senior Coordinating Editor Aparna Kurup has been made to apologise after taking a strong stance against Keralam’s grand mufti, Sunni cleric Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, also known as Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, over his recent controversial statement in relation to keeping women confined to their homes. The official statement was released by the channel on 1st September (Tuesday).
It read, “Some of the remarks in the ‘Big Dialogue’ discussion against gender discrimination against women should have been omitted. We express our deepest regret if this hurt anyone’s religious sentiments or beliefs. We also wish to inform you that the video has been removed from all of Big TV’s social media platforms, as it had the potential to spread misunderstanding in society while addressing the demand for equal status and social justice for women, regardless of the religion involved.”
സ്ത്രീകളോടുള്ള ലിംഗ വിവേചനത്തിനെതിരെ നടന്ന ബിഗ് ഡയലോഗ് ചർച്ചയിലെ ചില പരാമർശങ്ങള് ഒഴിവാക്കപ്പെടേണ്ടതായിരുന്നു. അത് ആരുടെയെങ്കിലും മതവികാരത്തെയോ വിശ്വാസത്തെയോ വ്രണപ്പെടുത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ടെങ്കിൽ നിരുപാധികം ഖേദം പ്രകടിപ്പിക്കുന്നു | BIG TV | BIG DIALOGUE#BIGTV #Bigdialogue pic.twitter.com/nYRNkyn2tl
— BigTv24x7 (@bigtv24x7live) September 1, 2026
The remarks by Aboobacker Musliyar were met with criticism during the “Big Dialogue” program hosted by anchor Aparna Kurup. However, she had to clarify that the goal of the conversation was to promote social justice and equal status for women of all religious backgrounds. She also added that attempts were made to mislead the public, after which an apology was issued, and the video was removed from all platforms.
BJP backs anchor Aparna Kurup, slams Big TV for succumbing to Islamist pressure
Meanwhile, BJP Alappuzha South District President Sandeep Vachaspati has come out in support of Aparna and highlighted that religious extremists are targeting her. He stated that there were reports of attacks on some of Big TV’s offices in the Malabar region. However, he accused the Big TV management of surrendering to the Islamists and not reporting the matter or taking legal action. He also lashed out at the channel for publishing an apology in Aparna’s name.
What Aboobacker Musliyar had said?
Speaking at the Hubbul Rasool conference in Kochi, Sunni cleric Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, popularly known as Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar, said that women should remain confined to their homes and stay away from the public sphere.
“Women should remain confined within their homes. They should not enter the public sphere. The Holy Quran says so,” Musliyar had expressed at the Hubbul Rasool conference in Kochi, insisting that the comment was not intended to belittle women but honour and protect them. He described how a gold necklace purchased from a jewellery store is carefully taken out of a cupboard, a box and its wrapping before being displayed to a customer. By contrast, he pointed to a neighbouring shop selling stone grinders, which, he said, could be left outside by the roadside without the same concern for their value or safety.
The cleric argued that a gold necklace placed on the roadside could be touched by anyone passing by, ultimately affecting its beauty and value. “If the necklace has to retain its beauty, it has to be kept safely inside a box,” he said, before drawing a direct parallel with women. He warned that bringing women into the public sphere would lead to “great destruction” and said this was why Islam prescribed purdah.
Musliyar further claimed that religious scholars, particularly the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, had advocated this position for around a century. He argued that the approach had allowed women to “maintain their dignity” and suggested that the restrictions should therefore be understood as protective rather than discriminatory.
