Kochi: The Church is getting closer to the BJP even as a narrative created by the Left and Congress against the Saffron party in the wake of the arrest of nuns in Chhattisgarh failed to make any impact.
A Catholic priest of the Pala diocese taking part in a RSS function on August 15 has triggered fresh controversy.
Father George Nellikunnu Cherivu Purayidom, director of the Care Homes project under the Pala diocese and of the Deepika Friends Club, presided over Shankholi 2025, a student summit jointly organised by the Poonjar, Meenachil and Ramapuram units of the RSS on August 15.
Fr Purayidom said it was the generation inspired by India’s spiritual heritage and the freedom struggle that had gone on to shape modern India. He urged the youth to project the nation’s glory on the world stage by making effective use of organisation and technology.
The Church’s undettered association with the BJP has disturbed the ambitions of political parties in Kerala ahead of the Local bodies and Assembly polls.
Congress had heavily relied on the Christian votes to come to power in the centre and state until the publication of the Madhav Gadgil panel report which went against the interests of people living in the Western Ghats area since 2012.
BJP continuation in power for the third consecutive term has marginalized the Congress and the Left parties which is is in power only in Kerala.
The political strategy adopted by the Saffron party to lure minority sections, mainly the Church, has paid off well and the victory of Suresh Gopi in the Lok Sabha election is a testimony of it.
The fringe incidents of alleged harassment of Christian nuns have obviously hit the reputation of the BJP, which smartly swung into action to douse the fire.
Another triumph card BJP is keeping close to its chest is securing people their right over the property they bought in their names in Munambam in Ernakulam where Waqaf Board has been toiling hard to evict them.
While the Left and the Congress have turned a deaf ear to the Munambam issue, only BJP has acted in favour of those affected residents.
This has helped BJP increase its rating among the Christians who were misled by the Left and the Congress all these years that BJP is a rightist party.
The recent incident of a Christian priest Catholic Church taking part in a RSS meet has shaken the Left and the Congress.
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