Malappuram (Kerala):The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) on Thursday distanced itself from remarks made by Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) state general secretary P M A Salam regarding gender equality. The opposition coalition emphasised that Salam’s statement was his personal view, and not reflective of their stance. It may be noted that IUML is a major member of the opposition UDF.

Salam's controversial statement on gender equality

On Wednesday, Salam had remarked, "Can we say man and woman are equal in all respects? Has the world accepted it? Saying they are equal is like closing your eyes to make it dark." This comment sparked controversy and drew immediate rejection from UDF leaders.

Leader of Opposition clarifies UDF's position

V D Satheesan, the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, addressed the issue on Thursday, stating, "It was probably his personal view. We do not agree with his stand. That is not our stand. We stand for gender justice. We believe women and men are equal. There is no compromise on that."

The Congress-led UDF reiterated its commitment to gender equality, firmly rejecting any form of gender bias.

With PTI inputs