The Catholic Congress has strongly criticised the Congress party’s decision to accept the support of the Welfare Party, a political outfit linked to Jamaat-e-Islami, in the Nilambur legislative assembly by-election. The Nilambur constituency falls under the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, currently represented by Priyanka Gandhi.
The Catholic Congress, a lay organisation of Syro-Malabar Catholics in Kerala, issued a sharp rebuke through its Thamarassery diocesan unit, which covers the Wayanad region. In a strongly-worded press release titled “Congress-Welfare Party Alliance for the Nilambur By-election is a Challenge to Secular Democracy and Opportunistic Politics,” the Catholic Congress condemned the alliance, calling it a betrayal of Kerala’s secular tradition.
According to the statement, Congress’s decision reflects a willingness to forsake foundational values for short-term electoral gain. It warned that the alliance would have far-reaching and damaging consequences, accusing the Congress of indulging in appeasement politics and equating the move with political suicide.
The statement also criticised the hypocrisy of political fronts that publicly denounce communalism while forming alliances with organisations linked to extremism. “Joining hands with religious nationalists for victory in Nilambur is akin to digging one’s own grave,” it warned, adding that such a strategy risks making the Congress irrelevant not only in Kerala but in national politics as well. The Catholic Congress expressed confidence that secular voters would deliver a resounding reply to this brand of appeasement politics in future elections.
Rejecting the Congress’s justification that the ruling LDF also engages with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), led by Islamic extremist Abdul Nasser Madani, the Catholic Congress asserted that “justifying a mistake with another mistake” is not acceptable. The Thamarassery diocese called upon the people of Nilambur to expose this political double standard. Once the face of Indian secularism, the Congress Party, it said, is now discarding its principles for the sake of votes, a move the organisation sees as emblematic of opportunistic politics. The Catholic Congress warned that forging ties with the Welfare Party will have significant long-term implications.
Responding to the criticism, Congress’s Opposition Leader, VD Satheesan, defended the alliance, stating, “The Congress has never said that Jamaat-e-Islami is a communal force. Jamaat-e-Islami has undergone changes. They no longer advocate for a religious state.” Congress candidate Aryadan Shoukath echoed this sentiment, questioning the timing of the controversy: “The Welfare Party supported the Congress in previous elections. Why is the issue being raised only now?”
However, the backlash exposes the Congress’s soft approach towards Islamic extremist elements. The move is also being linked to previous accusations surrounding Rahul’s stance on the Waqf issue, and questions are being raised over whether Priyanka Gandhi’s electoral victories in Wayanad have been aided by the support of organisations with extremist ties, including Jamaat-e-Islami.
