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Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves at supporters during a roadshow, in Kochi, Monday. (PTI Photo)
The meeting, which marks the first time a BJP leader has engaged with Christian religious leaders, represents a notable stride in the party’s political aspirations in a state with a significant presence of minority communities
During an exclusive meeting with eight Christian religious leaders in Kochi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured them that all religious beliefs would be given protection and steps would be taken to prevent attacks on Christians.
After the meeting held at the Taj Malabar Hotel, bishops said their concerns and needs were conveyed to the prime minister.
However, just an hour before the meeting, Modi made a statement at a Youth conclave ‘Yuvam 2023’ held at Sacred Heart College grounds in Thevara, Kochi, hinting at the Christian Churches.
The Prime Minister in his address stated that the BJP would govern the state soon with the support of communities that aligned with the party in states of North East as well as Goa.
The meeting, which marks the first time a BJP leader has engaged with Christian religious leaders, represents a notable stride in the party’s political aspirations in a state with a significant presence of minority communities. The BJP is hoping for an electoral breakthrough in the region and this meeting could be a significant step towards achieving that goal.
“The meeting was cordial”, BJP State President K Surendran said after the meeting. The party’s State Vice President, Dr KS Radhakrishnan, who was present in the meeting, played a crucial role in organizing the meeting, collaborating with the Church over a period of nine months.
Representatives from various denominations of the Christian community, covering almost 90% of the state’s Christian population, were in attendance at the meeting. However, the Marthoma and Church of South India (CSI) were notably absent. The CSI church was excluded from the meeting due to some financial controversies involving its leaders, according to sources. The Marthoma Church, on the other hand, initially accepted the invitation but later declined to meet with the Prime Minister, citing unknown reasons.
The reason for not inviting the Pentecostal churches to the meeting was due to their beliefs on religious conversion, which clash with those of the Sangh Parivar. Since there are around three dozen Pentecostal churches in the state, their inclusion in the meeting could have led to disagreements and clashes on this matter.
The meeting was attended by several prominent leaders of the Christian community in Kerala, including:
- Mar George Cardinal Alencherry – Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, the largest Christian church in Kerala
- Baselios Marthoma Mathews III – Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, Malankara Orthodox Church
- Joseph Mor Gregorios – Metropolitan Trustee, Metropolitan of Kochi Diocese, and acting chief of the Jacobite Church
- Bishop Mathew Mulakat – The Knanaya Catholic Archeparchy of Kottayam
- Mar Awgin Kuriakose – Metropolitan of India and South Gulf Countries, Chaldean Syrian Church of the East
- Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos – Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and Major Archbishop of Trivandrum
- Arch-Bishop Joseph Joy Kalathiparambil – Arch-Bishop of Verapoly Latin Catholic Church
- Kuriakose Mor Severios – Archbishop Chief Metropolitan Knanaya Syrian Church
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