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Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Nun arrests: BJP caught between rock and a hard place as Kerala Church body slams party
AS THE two Kerala nuns arrested on charges of forced conversion and human trafficking in Chhattisgarh remain behind bars, a powerful body of Catholic bishops in Kerala Wednesday indicated that any prospective 'friendship' with the BJP rests on the issue. Addressing reporters, Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis expressed unhappiness over the denial of bail to the two nuns, and said: 'If no justice is done, then what friendship can there be? How can we speak of perfect brotherhood?' On Wednesday, the Catholic Church also took out a march to the Raj Bhavan, with bishops, priests and nuns joining in. Elsewhere across the state too, the followers of the Catholic Church held protests against the arrest of the nuns on charges of conversion. The stand of the KCBC, which comprises heads of all 43 Catholic dioceses in the state, underlines the dilemma the BJP finds itself in – torn between the Sangh Parivar's anti-conversion narrative, and its own electoral ambitions in Kerala, which rest on the party winning over the substantial Christian vote bank. In a message directed at the BJP, Cleemis said: 'We are closely watching the situation… Do what you say and be sincere in your actions. This is what we are looking for. Our concern is justice for the nuns.' Addressing the Raj Bhavan march, the Cardinal took on the conversion charges against the Church, saying: 'We are not going to close the gospel in the country. Our tongues have strength to proclaim the gospel and that will continue.' At another event, Palakkad Bishop Peter Kochupurakkal attacked the BJP's Christian 'appeasement'. 'There are certain political Dhritarashtras (the blind Mahabharata king) who move in and out of our churches and our liturgical functions. They go to church and donate golden crowns to statues. They are present at all functions. We have to recognise such people. We have to recognise their Dhritarashtra hugs,'' Kochupurakkal said, in an apparent dig at BJP MP Suresh Gopi, who donated a golden crown to a church in Thrissur, the constituency from which he won in 2024. The Catholic Church seems to be hardening its stand against the BJP both because the nuns are from Kerala, and because the Church leadership wants to repudiate the allegation that it has adopted a soft line towards the BJP. Unlike in Kerala, the BJP is viewed largely with suspicion by the Christian community elsewhere, who accuse it of anti-minority bias. Earlier, when Stan Swamy, a Jesuit priest from Tamil Nadu who was jailed over alleged Maoist links, died behind bars, the subdued reaction of the Catholic Church in Kerala had been remarked upon. The interaction of Bishops and other Christian dignitaries with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a Christmas event had also drawn flak from a section of the faithful in Kerala as it came months after violence began in Manipur, with Christian tribals seen at the receiving end of violence. Meanwhile, even within the Sangh Parivar in Kerala, not many are keen on the stance taken by BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar dismissing the allegations against the nuns in Chhattisgarh. Chandrasekhar's statement has drawn sharp reactions from some Sangh Parivar handles, who said the party ruling the country should not water down its stand for 'a few (Christian votes)' in Kerala.
The Print
16 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
Arrest of two Catholic nuns in Chhattisgarh causes ripples in Kerala. BJP leaders tread cautiously
Sister Preethi Mary, 45, and Sister Vandana Francis, 50, were arrested at Durg railway station on 25 July, along with a third person, Sukaman Mandavi, following a complaint by a local Bajrang Dal activist. The incident, condemned by church leaders and major political fronts, has cast a shadow over the party's sustained efforts to woo the minority community and expand its presence in Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram: The arrest of two Malayalee Catholic nuns in the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh on charges of forced religious conversion and human trafficking has snowballed into a political storm in poll-bound Kerala, pushing the BJP's electoral ambitions onto the back foot. The complaint alleged that they were forcibly converting three girls from Bastar's Narayanpur. Preethi is from the Elavoor parish at Angamaly in Ernakulam, and Vandana Francis belongs to the Udayagiri parish at Thalassery in Kannur. Both are associated with the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate (ASMI) order. The charges against them include human trafficking under Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and forced religious conversion under Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act. Father Michael Pulickal of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) told ThePrint the arrest was based on 'false and baseless' allegations of religious conversion and trafficking made by Bajrang Dal members. He added that both the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) and the KCBC have sought the prime minister's intervention in the matter. 'Forced conversion is not the Catholic Church's agenda. Even when people approach us for conversion, we follow a long and detailed process. This is just an allegation. The girls are over 18 and adults, so if they're traveling in public transport, how can it be human trafficking?' he asked. The priest said the issue stemmed from deep-rooted communal prejudice, as the girls were simply traveling with Christian nuns. Kerala-based political analyst C.R. Neelankandan said the incident will likely harm the BJP's image in the state. 'Only in Kerala does the Christian community welcome the BJP. Outside, it's a different story. Even the church here remained silent during similar incidents in other parts of the country. But that won't continue now,' he said. Political turn However, the issue took a political turn as the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) highlighted the attacks against the minorities in BJP-ruled states. On Tuesday, LDF MPs including senior CPI(M) leader K. Radhakrishnan, Rajya Sabha members A.A. Rahim, P.P. Suneer, and Jose K. Mani left Delhi for Chhattisgarh. They were accompanied by CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat and CPI national leader Annie Raja. From the UDF, legislators Roji M. John, Saji Joseph, N.K. Premachandran, Benny Behanan and Francis George are also visiting the state. In Kerala, Tourism and PWD Minister P.A. Muhammed Riyas said on Tuesday called for a nationwide protest, saying the Constitution has been 'jailed' under the Narendra Modi government. 'Since the Modi government came to power, attacks against Christians and religious minorities have intensified. The country is seeing anti-human policies like never before. Poverty, unemployment, and inflation have risen,' he said. 'To distract from this, hatred is being injected, and communalism implemented. It is Modi and the BJP who are pushing this. Fear is being spread. In reality, the prime minister is not Narendra Modi. It is Narendra Fear. Narendra Fear is ruling India today.' Also Read: A Malayalee from Gujarat is shaking up Kerala BJP. Rajeev Chandrasekhar's un-Sangh poll campaign Impact on BJP's outreach in poll-bound Kerala The incident comes as the southern state is headed for crucial local body polls and Assembly elections, putting the BJP on the back foot. The BJP has made concerted efforts to engage the Christian community through state and central leaders visiting church heads frequently, launching its Sneha Yatra outreach programme during festivals like Christmas and Easter since 2023, and appointing Christian leaders to key positions, including George Kurian's recent induction as a minister of state in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in 2024. On 12 July, the BJP revamped its leadership under the new party chief, Rajeev Chandrasekhar. It appointed three Christians–Shone George, Anoop Antony Joseph and Jiji Joseph–to its state committee. According to the 2011 Census, Hindus account for 54.73 percent of Kerala's population, followed by 26.56 percent Muslims and 18.38 percent Christians. With the Hindu vote bank split among all the political fronts, the support of the minority community, which holds significant cultural and political sway, is necessary for the BJP to make inroads in the state. BJP's Shone George told ThePrint the incident would not impact the party's prospects in Kerala. 'We can't control every organisation. These incidents will happen. What we're trying to do is rescue them. This might affect us negatively in the short term. But at the end of the day, we'll be able to show the public and the community what we've done,' he said. He added that interference by the LDF and the UDF would only negatively affect the case. The party also sent a delegation, led by its general secretary Anoop Antony, to Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. The group met with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy CM and Home Minister Vijay Sharma. Following the meeting, Anoop said the government and the chief minister assured them that they are 'committed to helping the Christian community' and expressed optimism that a solution would soon be found. 'These matters are being seriously discussed, and further legal action will follow,' he said. Anoop added that the incident began when one of the girls showed signs of distress while accompanied by a young man, before the nuns arrived. He claimed the situation was later politicised in the state for electoral gains. 'Let me say, north India is a vast world. Different people, cultures, laws… many things. Often, the sensitivity of such matters is not easily understood by those in Kerala. But from the beginning, Rajeev and the BJP's team have intervened and done everything necessary,' he said. 'We are not seeing this as a political issue. As said earlier, if someone from anywhere in the world is in trouble, Modi ji's politics is to go and rescue them.' Notably, the Catholic Church has recently spoken out against what it called the BJP's 'double standards' on Christian persecution in the nation. An editorial published in Deepika, the Catholic Church's official mouthpiece, on 14 July highlighted the growing number of attacks against Christians across India. Titled 'Applauding the hunter while patting the prey?', it called the BJP's approach 'deeply humiliating' and alleged that while the party presents itself as an ally to Christians in states like Goa and Kerala, it allows persecution of the community in northern states. 'We are not political. As far as the church is concerned, we don't interfere in personal political preferences as long as they align with our beliefs and moral values. All parties approach us because we are a community, and we don't distance anyone. But we do oppose divisive political forces,' Father Michael said. (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: Malayalam rap's provocateur, Vedan's battle with the system, his art & a #MeToo past
New Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
'Will decide accordingly': Kerala Catholic body warns BJP that 'friendship' will depend on progress in nuns' case
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A powerful body of senior Catholic clergy in Kerala on Wednesday indirectly cautioned the BJP that any prospective friendship would depend on securing justice for two nuns from the state jailed in Chhattisgarh over alleged conversion and human trafficking. Addressing reporters here, Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) president, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, said the incident would be a determining factor in the Church's political stance. "If no justice is done, then what friendship can there be? How can we speak of perfect brotherhood?" the Cardinal asked, expressing displeasure over the denial of bail to the two nuns, who were arrested following complaints made by Bajrang Dal members. "The nuns are yet to get bail. This will be a criterion. Naturally, we will observe developments and decide accordingly," he said. Cleemis questioned the "sincerity of outreach efforts" when justice was being denied to the nuns. "Everyone should act on what they preach and show sincerity. This is what we expect," he said, responding to questions about the BJP's attempts to engage with the Christian community in the state.
The Hindu
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
BJP welcomes KCBC's call to youth to join mainstream political parties
Giving a push to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s efforts to reach out to the influential minority community in Kerala ahead of the local body and Assembly elections, the BJP State leadership has welcomed the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council's call to the youth to join mainstream political parties. State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has officially welcomed the KCBC's appeal, stating that it aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision. 'Appreciate the call from KCBC to Christian youth to actively engage in public life and serve society. @BJP4Keralam warmly welcomes youth aspiring to enter politics and contribute to nation-building. This aligns with PM @narendramodi's vision of one lakh talented youth leading a 'politics of performance.' #VikasitaKeralam needs visionary young leaders committed to development for all,' says a social media post of Mr. Chandrasekhar. The KCBC issued a circular on July 6, Church's Youth Day, indicating that Christian youngsters are reluctant to engage in active politics and urged them to join politics. The circular, issued by KCBC Youth Commission chairperson Christudas R. and vice-chairpersons Mar Joseph Pandarasseril and Mathews Mar Policorpos, was read in all parishes under the Syro Malabar, Syro Malankara, and Latin rite churches during the Mass on Sunday. 'At present, the political situation is extremely chaotic and confusing, and it is not advisable for Christian youth having leadership skills and critical thinking abilities to distance themselves from mainstream politics. A new generation with knowledge and talent should enter mainstream politics to solve the issues facing our society. Catholic youth organisations should train young women and men with leadership qualities and bring them into the mainstream. Qualified youths must come forward for this mission, recognising it as essential for society, particularly the Christian community,' read the circular. Meanwhile, KCBC spokesperson Fr. Thomas Tharayil clarified that the Church never directed youth to join any specific political party. 'Joining a political party is a personal decision,' he said. 'The Church does not treat any political party as untouchable. What we called for is for the youth to engage in nation-building by participating in the political process — rather than aligning with anti-political movements,' said Fr. Tharayil.
Deccan Herald
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Kerala Catholic body urges Christian youth to enter mainstream politics
The Youth Commission under the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC), an apex body of Christian bishops, made the appeal in its recent circular issued on Youth Day, which fell on July 6.
