As part of the BJP’s Christian outreach programme in Kerala, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs John Barla met Cardinal Mar George Alenchery, head of the Syro-Malabar Church at St Thomas Mount at Kakkanad in Kochi on Tuesday morning

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, John Barla said the interaction with the cardinal was fruitful. However, he did not give details of the matters discussed by them.

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John Barla, himself a Christian, said that the Christian community is safe in the country since 2014 and the propaganda that the Christians are being attacked in the country is false.

“There are many issues and grievances that the Christians are facing here. “I came here to meet the priests and Christian leaders and to understand the grievances the Christians are facing here,” he said.

The Union minister said he would meet the Rubber Board chairman and take up the issue of increasing the price of rubber with him. Barla arrived in Kerala on Monday on a three-day visit to meet Christian leaders, hold discussions and alleviate their apprehensions about the Saffron party.

He visited the St Thomas Shrine at Malayattoor on Monday morning and had breakfast with the priests and assured to expedite the sanction of funds for the development of the pilgrim centre under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive (Prasad) scheme.

Though Malayattoor Shrine, Kodungalloor Cheraman Juma Masjid and Guruvayur temple have been included in the scheme, the sanction of funds for Malayattoor pilgrim centre has been delayed due to procedural issues. He offered to accompany a Church delegation to meet Union tourism minister to get the funds released.

BJP state vice-president A N Radhakrishnan, Minority Morcha state president Jiji Josephand state secretary Denny Jose accompanied the minister at the Shrine.

John Barla later visited Divine Retreat Centre at Muringoor in Chalakudy and interacted with the priests and leaders of the community. In the noon, the minister participated in the lunch hosted  by Thrissur Metropolitan Archbishop Mar Andrews. Then he visited St Euphrasia Shrine at Ollur and Shanti Bhavan Humanitarian Hospital.

On Tuesday, after visiting Cardinal Alancherry, Barla proceeded to Kottayam. He visited St Kuriakose Elias Chavara Pilgrim Centre at Mannanam in Kottayam at 10 am. He inaugurated a national seminar organised by Kerala Council of Churches at Thottabhagam Valiyapalli in Tiruvalla at 3pm on Tuesday. The minister inaugurated an Easter celebration in Pathanamthitta at 5 pm on Tuesday.

The minister will continue his party’s Christian outreach programme on Wednesday by visiting Rev T J Samuel at the Assemblies of God headquarters at Punalur in Kollam district at 11 am. He will have lunch with Christian leaders at St John’s School in Anchal at 12 noon.

As part of the BJP’s push for Christian outreach in Kerala, party leaders visited various Christian religious leaders on Easter day. BJP continued its Easter diplomacy on the Vishu day by hosting Christian clergy for feast on Saturday, the day of Vishu festival.

Meanwhile, responding to BJP’s Christian outreach programme, senior Congress and Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly said the Christians in the state can recognise the hypocritical stance of the BJP. They do know who are behind the attacks against Christians and Christian institutions in the country. Religious leaders do not seem to have a pro-BJP stance. It does not seem possible to take such a stand. Christians know.