Malappuram (Kerala): A prominent Islamic cleric in Kerala has voiced opposition to workout sessions involving both men and women in public, criticising organisations that promote such practices.

Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar, General Secretary of Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama of AP Sunnis, noted that such practices may "compromise" the modesty of women while engaging in them.

Apparently criticising Multi-Exercise Combination 7 (MEC 7), a workout routine popular in the northern districts of the state, the cleric said platforms were being set up in villages and towns under the guise of exercise.

During his address on Sunday, Musliyar emphasised his concerns regarding the view that there is nothing wrong with men and women engaging with each other and participating in exercise routines.

In the past, women were restricted from meeting and listening to men, and the directives of Islam in this regard were strictly followed, he said.

The Islamic scholar said that removing these restrictions and allowing men and women to meet has caused significant harm.

The workout routine was recently embroiled in controversy after some across the political spectrum raised speculations about its alleged links to the banned Islamist outfits Popular Front of India and Jama'at-e-Islami.

Gaining popularity in North Kerala, MEC 7 is a workout routine that blends various disciplines, including yoga. However, the organisers of the routine outrightly rejected these charges.