KOCHI: Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) president Archbishop Andrews Thazhath has expressed concern over certain organisations trying to promote sectarianism among Christians. He pointed out that trouble related to the implementation of the uniform mode of Holy Mass is the handiwork of these groups. He made the comments in an interview to Malayalam daily Deepika on the sidelines of the CBCI meeting in Bengaluru.
He highlighted that an official associated with raids on establishments linked to Popular Front of India (PFI) had disclosed that the banned Islamist organisation had laid out elaborate plans to divide the Syro-Malabar Church. “The group unleashed plans to intervene and create division even on trivial matters. It planned to break up the most organised denomination of the Christian community,” he said.
“Such organisations also have support of Hindu extremist groups. Over years, there has been an increase in activities of these organisations in the state. Jamaat-e-Islami and RSS represent two sides of the same coin. There are even hardline groups among Christians. Some politicians, too, are promoting sectarianism,” the bishop said
Mar Thazhath also expressed concern over declining Christian population in the country. “What was 2.7% has now decreased to 2.3%. Catholics are only 1.67%.”