Kerala Orthodox Bishop Criticizes PM Modi's Contradictory Gesture Amid VHP Disruptions
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Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 24 (NationPress) A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the Christmas festivities organized by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) in Delhi, Yuhanon Mar Meletius, the Orthodox Bishop of the Thrissur diocese, expressed his dismay over reports stating that some VHP activists disrupted an event at a school in Kerala.
In an interview with IANS, the bishop noted that while the Prime Minister was paying homage to the Christmas crib at the CBCI headquarters in New Delhi, leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) were allegedly engaged in anti-Christmas activities in Palakkad, Kerala.
The bishop mentioned accusations that a group of VHP activists had interfered with a school event in Nallamangalam, located in Palakkad district, where children were dressed as Santa Claus and paraded through the streets.
He pointed out that the activists made derogatory remarks during this incident.
Furthermore, there were reports of Christmas cribs being vandalized at two other schools in the Palakkad district, with allegations suggesting the involvement of members from the RSS and VHP.
Bishop Meletius criticized the BJP and RSS for a dual strategy—engaging with Church leadership while simultaneously targeting Christian symbols and celebrations at the grassroots level.
He remarked that the BJP, as the political wing of the RSS, fosters an ideology aimed at establishing upper-caste Hindu dominance in India.
“India is a secular democratic nation with great diversity. The ideology of the RSS cannot be easily applied here,” the bishop asserted.
He further highlighted the vital contributions made by the Christian community in India, especially in education, healthcare, and social services.
He added that the BJP’s efforts to win over Christians at the leadership level while undermining their beliefs at the grassroots level are apparent and unacceptable.
The bishop also noted that Hindu organizations have begun claiming rights over certain established churches, asserting that ancient Hindu idols once occupied those spaces.
Bishop Meletius stated his belief that Prime Minister Modi’s act of bowing before the Christmas crib at the CBCI headquarters was a symbolic gesture that is inconsistent with the actions of the RSS and VHP on the ground.
