THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Buoyed by the reassuring response of the Church leadership to its outreach programme, state BJP leaders went on a spree visiting Bishop Houses across Kerala on the Easter day. However, the saffron party's "new-found love" for Christians drew flak from the CPM and Congress.
The BJP national leadership had drawn up a strategic plan last month to reach out to one lakh Christian families in the state to woo the community members ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The campaign was christened 'Sneha Yatra'. As part of it, Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan visited Archbishop Thomas J Netto of Latin Catholic Archdiocese of Trivandrum and state BJP president K Surendran called on Kozhikode Bishop Varghese Chakkalakkal. Surendran had on Saturday visited Thamarassery Bishop Mar Remigiose Maria Paul Inchananiyil. BJP national executive member P K Krishnadas called on Thalassery Archbishop Joseph Pamplany, while party state vice-president K S Radhakrishnan visited Cardinal George Alencherry, head of the Syro-Malabar Church, in Kochi.
The BJP leaders conveyed Easter message and greetings from PM Narendra Modi to the Church heads.
Cardinal Alencherry, taking part in TNIE’s Express Dialogue series, had been all praise for PM Modi, and said Christians did not have any insecurity feelings under BJP rule. Since both Congress and Left parties failed to meet their expectations, “it’s natural people may look for other options. Now, people may be
thinking of BJP as an option,” he said.
‘Shows double standards’
After visiting Chakkalakkal on Sunday, Surendran claimed a drastic change in the Christian community’s approach towards BJP. “Now, they have hope and trust in Narendra Modi and his government,” he said. The CPM termed as “ridiculous” the attempts of the Sangh parivar to woo Christians.
In a statement, the CPM state secretariat said it was the Sangh parivar that unleashed a series of attacks against minorities in the country in the past. Large scale attacks were carried out against Christians during last year’s Christmas celebrations. The attacks on Christians in Chhattisgarh has not yet abated.
Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said BJP leaders’ visit to Bishop Houses shows the saffron party’s double standards. “Neither Muraleedharan, Surendran nor Krishnadas can vouch that their workers will not attack Christian churches,” he said.
“BJP minister in Karnataka calls for violence against Christians, stating that they should be thrashed so they don’t return. The hypocrisy is evident and it is important for people to recognize and reject it,” state Congress president K Sudhakaran tweeted.