ExMuslims of Kerala: A New Outfit Formed By Those Who Have Renounced Islam Says It Will Work To 'Normalise Blasphemy, Apostasy'

A group of individuals in Kerala, who have denounced and renounced Islam, announced on Sunday (Jan 9) that they have formed a new organisation called ExMuslims of Kerala.

The group has chosen to celebrate January 9 of every year as 'Kerala Exmuslim Day.

According to the members of the organisation, this is first time such an organization has been officially formed in India.

“We have formed a 10-member executive committee and membership campaign is on. Initially, we have identified 300 Muslims, who have abandoned their religion over the years, who openly come out in support of the organisation,” said Liyakkathali C M, who head the organisation

The founders of the organisation trace the intellectual genesis of the movement to a debate between M.M. Akbar, an Islamic Dawah propagandist, and EA Jabbar, a freethinker and critic of Islam, that was organised last January in Malappuram . The proceeding of the debate, which was later uploaded on the Youtube, received tremendous traction among the netizens clocking more than a million views on YouTube alone.

According to the members of ExMuslims of Kerala, the debate awakened many Muslims to the inhumanity and futility of Islam. The awareness led them to leave the religion and work towards nurturing 'freethought and scientific temper' in Kerala society.

"The problems faced by the ExMuslims just for renouncing their religion is unmatched, when compared to other religions. They are often appalling both mentally and physically and are subjected to ostracization in all realms of social existence" the group said in a statement.

"The degree of physical, mental, and social persecution they had to face and are still facing is intolerable and unacceptable. There are still thousands of closeted ExMuslims, who are afraid to come out in public to declare their apostasy or to denounce Islam on account of fear of persecutions." the organisation stated in its founding charter.

The organisation also plans to approach judicial authorities against all atrocities committed in the name of religious traditions or practices that violate basic human rights.

Ex-Muslims Of Kerala also said that it will work to protect the basic human right to live without any religion.

The group also says that it will work to normalise dissent, blasphemy, and apostasy, and to support people who publicly announce their apostasy, both emotionally and morally.

Over the last few year, many ex-Muslims living in the West have renounced Islam. Several groups like Germany’s Central Council of Ex-Muslims and Ms. Darwish’s Former Muslims United have been formed.

In December, Malayali filmmaker Ali Akbar has announced that he and his wife were renouncing Islam in protest against social media users allegedly posting smiley emojis to the reports of chopper crash in Tamil Nadu in which Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 other defence personnel died.

Also Read: Awesome Without Allah: Why These Muslims Are Leaving Islam And Are Proud Of It