Roman Catholic priest's remark on joining BJP sparks outrage in Tamil Nadu
THOOTHUKUDI: Taking strong exception to retired priest Amaladas' remark that he and like-minded priests would join the BJP if Chief Minister MK Stalin was invited for Thoothukudi Roman Catholic diocese centenary celebrations, writer Kalaban Vaz has urged Thoothukudi diocese Bishop Stephen Antony to remove Amaladas from the church.
Following RC diocese authorities' decision to invite the Chief Minister for the function, Amaladas recently sent a video message to Bishop Stephen Antony stating that Stalin had not banned liquor as promised during elections, and also did not shut down Tasmac outlets on the occasion of Good Friday despite being pressed by Naam Tamilar Katchi and BJP.
"The CM also denied privileges to minority-run government-aided schools. If Stalin is invited for the function, leaders of Congress, AIADMK, BJP and NTK should be invited, in order to avert a narrative that we are favouring one party. Inviting Stalin to our religious event would amount to pushing our church to hell. If it happens, like-minded priests and I would join the BJP in the presence of its state president K Annamalai on the centenary function stage itself," the retired priest had claimed in the video that subsequently went viral. The video did not go down well with the devotees and many said Amaladas' remarks were against the interest of believers.
Meanwhile, renowned writer Kalaban Vaz in an audio message condemned Father Amaladas stating that there is a difference between inviting a party leader and the head of a state for an event. Appealing the Bishop to remove the retired priest from the diocese or at least suspend him from the church for his "arrogant remarks of joining hands with the outfits that were harming the nation's secularism", Vaz questioned, "Why can't he just disrobe himself and happily join the right-wing organisations?"
During a recent reunion held at St Jude's Church at Pathinathapuram, in which over 100 priests took part in the presence of the Bishop, there was unanimous support for Chief Minister's participation in the centenary function and they did not discuss the retired priest's remark, said a priest privy to the developments.