'Is there a law requiring births in hospitals?' Samastha leader defends home births

Kozhikode: Samastha AP faction leader Sayed Swalih Thurab Thangal has stirred debate by defending home births during a public event in Perumanna on Monday.

“Is there any law mandating that all births must occur in hospitals?” he asked, challenging the notion that institutional births are inherently safer.

“If someone has assaulted another, they should be brought before the law. But what’s happening now is blaming those who choose home births and those assisting them. Nobody questions the violence that happens inside hospitals. Some people act like it's a license to kill. No one raises a question if something goes wrong there,” he stated.

His comments come in the wake of the death of a woman named Asma in Chattipparamba, Malappuram, following an unassisted home birth. Her husband, Sirajuddin, was arrested after reports emerged that she was denied medical care.

While the incident has led to widespread criticism of home births, Thangal argued that both mothers who choose home births and those assisting them should not be automatically blamed. He insisted that legal action should be reserved for clear cases of negligence or harm.

The controversy continues to divide public opinion in Kerala, with healthcare professionals warning against unsupervised home deliveries, while others cite personal choice and cultural practices as grounds for support.