People of the Book | On the treatment of ancient, religious texts

A collage of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Islamic scholar Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar. Source: PTI, Special Arrangement

Two ongoing debates point to the double standards that Indian progressives confront. The central question relates to how an old text could be read and spoken about in the context of the present. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has made the complete rejection of Manusmriti the defining agenda of his politics, and points out that it dictates inferior roles for women; in Keralam, Islamic scholar Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar has said the Quran dictates an inferior role for women in society, saying, “The Holy Quran states that women should live confined within their homes and must not make public appearances.”Both interpretations share the commonality that they attribute a certain meaning to two ancient texts — Manusmriti, said to have been written between the 2nd century BCE and the 3rd century CE; and the Quran, believed to be written between 610 CE and 632 CE. Mr. Gandhi’s attribution to the Manusmriti, shared by many progressive people, is reprobatory; the second, to the Quran, is appreciatory from the vantage point of the cleric. Published - September 05, 2026 02:23 pm IST