Debate Ignites Over Comparing Women to Gold Jewellery in Kerala Speech

The most contentious part of the mufti’s address was his analogy between women and gold ornaments. He described how a jewellery store removes a necklace from a cabinet before showing it to a customer, suggesting that if a woman is displayed in public she might be “touched” and lose her value. He claimed that keeping women away from the streets prevents a “big disaster” and underlined the need for a veil as protective cover.

Critics question why a living human being should be likened to an inanimate piece of wealth. They argue that women own their own lives, education, careers and civic participation, and that no notion of “security” can justify stripping them of basic rights.