Kerala: Christian priest sacked for joining BJP; gets removed from his parish duties

Fr Kuriakose Mattam, Vicar of Syro-Malabar Mankuva parish church, Idukki, was removed immediately after joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). After receiving the membership from BJP district president KS Aji, Fr Kuriakose said he does not see joining the party as a taboo. He said he decided to join the BJP after thoroughly studying contemporary happenings and incidents. Wearing a saffron shawl, the vicar said he does not believe BJP is an anti-Christian party.

BJP president KS Aji said that Fr Kuriakose’s BJP entry is a befitting reply to those who work day and night to misguide the people and isolate the BJP by misinterpreting issues like Manipur, etc. Fr Kuriakose’s BJP entry is a serious warning to those who try to divide religious minorities while the BJP tries to hold them together with the party.

But, immediately after the historic incident, the Church authorities removed Fr Kuriakose from Parish duty. In its press release, the Idukki Diocese said that the action against the priest is temporary. Media reports suggest Bishop convened an urgent meeting to discuss the ‘unprecedented’ incident. The meeting might have discussed the disciplinary action to be taken against Fr Kuriakose Mattam.

Later on, the media quoted a representative of the Church that the clergy is not permitted to join any party as the Church comprises people attached to various political parties. It is reported that the action is taken under the Canon Law. Fr Kuriakose Mattam has served as the vicar of St. Thomas parish church for the last three years. It will take two more years before he retires from the parish responsibilities.

It should be recalled that recently, several Christian groups made it a point to criticise the BJP in connection with Manipur incidents. In some places, children’s processions were organised; they carried placards displaying Manipur issues.

When K S Sudarshan was the RSS Sarsanghchalak, he initiated dialogues with Christian leaders. And several such meetings took place in different parts of the country. Even though numerous allegations had been propagated against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the past, right-thinking people from among the minorities agreed during private chit-chats that minorities did not face any attacks or embarrassment after the Modi regime took over in 2014.

But, in Kerala, both the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) have been shouting at the top of their voice that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP keep massacring Christians in Manipur. But, their arguments do not gain much currency as the knowledgeable souls can see through the vote bank design of both Fronts. Several elite people belonging to minority communities joined the BJP. Intellectuals from those communities address RSS rallies in the state on specific occasions. People in large numbers tell RSS workers and members of Sangh-inspired organisations during private talks that Sangh people are not against minorities but do always stand for the nation.