THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP’s Christian outreach programme appears to be having a positive impact as the Catholic Church has decided to take a cautious and conciliatory path over the arrest of two nuns from Kerala in the saffron party-ruled Chhattisgarh.
The Congress and the CPM have already raised the issue as an example of Sangh parivar’s true face against the Christian minority. However, on the ground, the intervention of the offices of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister has brought relief for both the Church and the BJP.
Though the Church condemns the nuns’ arrest, it is conscious of the need to stay away from the trap of political controversies.
“The Church has no politics whatsoever,” Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India (CBCI) deputy secretary general Fr Mathew Koyickal told TNIE.
“Church has no affiliation with any political organisation. The nuns were persecuted by alleged Bajrang Dal workers. We have contacted the PMO and the home minister’s office, and they have assured us that action will be taken. Dialogues are going on in this regard,” he said.
According to Catholic Church authorities, this is the first time they are experiencing the results of the Christian outreach programme started by PM Modi.
“The relation between the Church and the Union government has been good ever since the PM hosted a Christmas programme and his visit to the CBCI centre premises in New Delhi,” Fr Mathew said.
It was on December 26, 2023, that Modi hosted a Christmas programme. On December 23, 2024, Modi took part in the Christmas celebration organised by CBCI.
BJP sends party state vice-prez, gen secy to Chhattisgarh
The BJP state unit also went into a firefighting mode soon after the news about the arrest of the nuns came out. “BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and vice-president Shone George contacted us several times and promised all help. They have also intervened in the issue,” Fr Mathew said.
Sensing a political backlash, the state BJP has sent its state general secretary Anoop Antony and Shone to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation and provide legal help.
“In 90 to 95% of the incidents in which minorities are attacked, the Sangh parivar has no direct link,” Anoop Antony told TNIE. “It is wrong to say that these attacks are planned by BJP. We will defend the accusations honestly. We will tell the public what we stand for and what happened there. The dialogue between the government and the Church must continue,” he said.
Two nuns, Preetha Mary and Vandana Francis from the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate under the Syro-Malabar Church, who were accompanying three girls, were arrested by the Chhattisgarh police at Durg railway station on Friday. They were charged with forced religious conversion and human trafficking.
Both the Congress-led INDIA bloc and Left parties have raised a political issue over the arrest. However, the Church has adopted a cautious approach.
On the attacks against Christians under BJP rule, Fr Mathew said: “When the current Opposition (Congress) was in power at the Centre and in Chhattisgarh, right-wing forces had launched attacks on Christians. The Christians were ousted from villages and paraded nakedly.”
State BJP intervenes
The state BJP has sent its state general secretary Anoop Antony and vice-president Shone George to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation and provide legal help.