Minister for Local Self-Government K.M. Shaji has said that certain community organisations are still unable to accept the thoughts and aspirations of Muslim girls.

He was attending the valedictory ceremony of a national seminar organised by the C.H. Mohammed Koya Chair for Studies on Developing Societies at the University of Calicut (CU) on Sunday (September 27).

Mr. Shaji said that Muslim girls were rapidly making advances in society, especially in the education sector. They played a major role in the recent protests organised by the Cockroach Janata Party in the national capital to protect constitutional rights. However, even those community organisations that claim to be progressive had not been able to lead them or advise them. Mr. Shaji claimed that because of this situation, Muslim girls were getting influenced by atheist ideas.

Earlier, academic J. Devika and former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan spoke at various sessions. Opening the two-day seminar on Saturday (September 26), Indian Union Muslim League State president Panakkad Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal said that development should be viewed through the lens of Mahatma Gandhi rather than that of capitalism.