BJP continued its Easter diplomacy with party leaders in Kerala hosting a feast for Christian clergy on Saturday, on the Vishu Day.
The BJP leaders invited representatives of the Church at the residence of party’s Thiruvananthapuram district president V V Rajesh for a breakfast on Saturday, the Vishu Day. Father Varkey Attupuram and Father Joseph Venmanath of the Syro Malankara Church participated in the feast held at Rajesh’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram.
Speaking at the breakfast, BJP’s Kerala prabhari Prakash Javadekar said the BJP was not playing vote-bank politics by holding such events. “This is part of the series of meetings launched by the prime minister extending love to all sections of the people.”
Javadekar said the BJP leaders will visit Muslim homes also during Ramzan. He said the party has decided to go ahead with the political strategies started by the BJP on the Easter.
The metropolitan Bishop of Kunnamkulam Diocese of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Geevarghese Mar Yulios was on Saturday invited to BJP leader N Hari’s house. The Bishop had a sumptuous Vishu lunch at Hari’s residence along with BJP leaders. Metropolitan Bishop Gevarghese Mar Iulios said there was no politics in the visit. No political party is either enemy or friend for the church, he added.
Geevarghese Mar Yulios has earlier stated that it is unfair to hold Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for all tussles in India. India is a multicultural nation and conflicts between communities are bound to occur.
As part of the BJP’s push for Christian outreach in Kerala, party leaders visited various Christian religious leaders on Easter day. BJP national vice-president AP Abdullahkutty and former state president PK Krishnadas visited Thalassery Bishop Joseph Pamplani in the morning. Bishop Joseph Pamplani’s statement that the BJP will get an MP from Kerala by ensuring the price of rubber at Rs 300 has got a lot of public attention recently.
Union Minister of State V Muralidharan visited the Latin Catholic Arch diocese headquarters here and exchanged Easter wishes to the Archbishop Mar George Netto. BJP state president K Surendran on Saturday visited the Thamarassery Archbishop Mar Remijius Paul Inchananiyil.
BJP state general secretary AN Radhakrishnan had participated in the Malayattoor Church festival on Good Friday day and had even climbed the Malayatoor hill to reach the shrine. Prime Minister Modi had participated in the Easter celebrations at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Delhi.
Both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the CPI-M and the Opposition United Democratic headed by the Congress had come out against the BJP’s moves to reach out to various religious communities by taking part in their festivals. However, the BJP leaders went ahead with the programmes on Vishu.
Cardinal Mar George Alenchery, head of the Syro-Malabar Church and a prominent face of the Christian community in India, has recently come forward in praise of prime minister Narendra Modi and said that Christians are not insecure in the country under the BJP rule.
In an interview given to an English daily, Mar George Alenchery said Prime Minister Modi is a good leader and he does not go into confrontation with anyone.
“He is a good leader. He makes an effort to be one and is successful at it. He did not go for confrontation with anyone. He has been effective in raising India’s image internationally. When there’s a sense of security among the people, other faults tend to be ignored. He is very receptive and open. That’s leadership. Also, there are many things common between Hinduism and Christianity. The concept of harmony in Hinduism is very inspiring to me,” the Cardinal said.