Is Muthu the owner or merely a donor for the 15-year-old fitness centre in Puthunagaram, Palakkad? ‘Rules in accordance with Sharia-based guidelines’ was just a marketing tagline?
Amid the controversy over the promotion of a gym in Kerala as ‘Islam-friendly’, questions are now being raised about Nawaz Muthu T, from whose social media handle the viral — but now deleted — video was posted.
Is Muthu the owner or merely a donor for the 15-year-old fitness centre in Puthunagaram, Palakkad, that is currently being revamped? ‘Rules in accordance with Sharia-based guidelines’ was just a marketing tagline? Here is an explanation.
Islam-friendly gym: Who announced the rules? Why did it start a row?
The video was posted from the Instagram profile of Nawaz Muthu T. The video, which was subsequently deleted following massive social media backlash and political debate, listed the features of the proposed model.
No Public Music: Loud music or film songs are not permitted on the gym floor, though members are permitted to use personal headphones.
Strict Gender Segregation: Men and women are assigned entirely separate workout timings and schedules to eliminate mixed-gender training.
Same-Gender Trainers: Male trainers are assigned exclusively to men, and female instructors are designated for women.
Modest Dress Code: Members are required to cover their awrah (body parts mandated to be concealed under Islamic law). According to the announcement, women would be expected to wear modest exercise clothing, including a hijab or burqa. Tight gym apparel is prohibited.
Halal Dietary Offerings: Any food or supplements served on the premises would be strictly halal.
The announcement triggered intense public polarisation and a wider political debate. Critics and political organisations accused the facility of introducing religious segregation into public commercial spaces, framing it as prioritising “Sharia over the Constitution”.
BJP appeals to Kerala CM
Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Thursday urged Chief Minister VD Satheesan to ensure there was no appeasement of radical groups after reports emerged of an “Islam-friendly gym” being launched in the northern district of Palakkad.
In a post on X, Chandrasekhar, who represents the Nemom constituency in the state Assembly, directly addressed Satheesan, saying: “We will not allow this creeping subterfuge in our state, Shri @vdsatheesan. You have made claims that there will be no appeasement. Please live up to it before things boil over.”
Chandrasekhar was responding to another X post that claimed a gym in Palakkad had been converted to operate under Islamic guidelines.
There was no immediate response from Satheesan’s office to Chandrasekhar’s remarks.
‘Not what I intended; all are welcome’: Video deleted
Following the backlash, the video was deleted. Muthu stated that the idea was to introduce specific time slots that would offer greater privacy for women, including women instructors, and an environment without music during those hours.
“This is a Muslim-majority area and we wanted them to come to our gym without inhibition… The concept did not spread in the manner I intended. Certain groups deliberately turned it into a controversy,” he said.
Muthu further claimed that the facility would continue to welcome people from all communities.
Who is Muthu, though — owner or donor?
According to reports, Ahmed Settu, one of the partners associated with the gym, said Muthu is neither the owner nor an official partner of ASB Fitness Centre. According to him, Muthu was previously associated with the gym as a trainee and later offered to financially support its renovation after the facility shut down four months ago.
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