KOCHI: Taking forward the goodwill generated by the BJP’s Christian outreach programme Sneha Yatra, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs John Barla arrived in Kerala on Monday on a three-day visit to meet Christian leaders and alleviate their apprehensions about the Saffron party. He will meet Syro-Malabar Church major archbishop Cardinal Mar George Alencherry at St Thomas Mount in Kakkanad at 8 am on Tuesday.
The minister who arrived at St Thomas Shrine at Malayattoor at 8 am on Monday had breakfast with the priests and assured to expedite the sanction of funds for the development of the pilgrim centre under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive (Prasad) scheme. Though Malayattoor Shrine, Kodungalloor Cheraman Juma Masjid and Guruvayur temple have been included in the scheme, the sanction of funds for Malayattoor pilgrim centre has been delayed due to procedural issues. He offered to accompany a Church delegation to meet Union tourism minister to get the funds released. The minister was accompanied by BJP state vice-president A N Radhakrishnan, Minority Morcha state president Jiji Joseph, state secretary Denny Jose and others.
John Barla later visited Divine Retreat Centre at Muringoor in Chalakudy and interacted with the priests and leaders of the community. He also gave an interview to spiritual channel Goodness TV at the Retreat Centre. In the afternoon, the minister was hosted lunch by Thrissur Metropolitan Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath after which he visited St Euphrasia Shrine at Ollur and Shanti Bhavan Humanitarian Hospital. He returned to Kochi after attending an Iftar party in Thrissur at 8 pm.
On Tuesday, John Barla will visit Mar George Alencherry after which he will proceed to Kottayam by road. In Kottayam he will visit St Kuriakose Elias Chavara Pilgrim Centre at Mannanam at 10 am. The minister will also participate in the twentieth anniversary celebration of the Caritas Cancer Institute.
At 3 pm John Barla will inaugurate a national seminar organised by Kerala Council of Churches at Thottabhagam Valiyapalli in Tiruvalla. He will inaugurate an Easter celebration in Pathanamthitta at 5 pm.
The minister will meet Rev T J Samuel at the Assemblies of God headquarters at Punalur in Kollam district at 11 am on Wednesday. He will have lunch with Christian leaders at St Johns School in Anchal at 12 noon. John Barla will leave for Delhi by 7.30 pm after visiting Mar Ivanios College in Thiruvananthapuram.