Kannur (Ker), Dec 13 (PTI) Senior Muslim League leader, Abdurahiman Randathani on Tuesday courted controversy over his speech against the gender-neutral initiatives of the Left government here in which he alleged that as part of such steps, students were being made to sit together and taught about masturbation and homosexuality.

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The IUML leader made the comments during a Congress-led United Democratic Front's protest march against the Left government over various issues here.

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"Just imagine what will happen if teenagers are made to sit together and taught about masturbation and homosexuality. What will happen to the culture of this land," Randathani wa seen saying in a video of the protest which went viral.

Attacking the CPI(M)-led government's gender- neutral initiatives in schools, Randathani, a former MLA, said girls have great importance in Kerala society and they made great strides in this society "not by sitting together" with boys.

"Now they (Left government) claim that if the teenagers are made to sit together, it will bring reforms in the education sector. And they are teaching masturbation and homosexuality", the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader alleged.

He also alleged that the Left government was trying to promote communist views among the children.

"It is the communists who want to make such changes. They say that the society should take care of the children without considering the fact whether they were born before or after the marriage. Likewise, they want to free women from what prevents her from having free sex with the man she loves. The government is attempting to impart communist views through the educational institutions," Randathani charged.

He said the Constitution provides for equality and also protects the religious beliefs of every individual.

Randathani's statement came a day after state Education Minister, V Sivankutty, told the Kerala Assembly the government has not taken any decision on introducing gender-neutral uniforms, mixed seating in schools or changing school timings, as suggested by an expert panel.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has been opposing the gender neutral initiatives of the Left government ever since a government-appointed panel recommended reforms in schools including bringing change in the school timings, encouraging gender neutrality and mixed sittings.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)