The role of Christianity and Hindu caste considerations in the selection of the Kochi Mayor has now come into the open, with stakeholders themselves acknowledging that the decision was influenced by Church authorities, triggering political and ideological debates in Kerala.
On December 28, it emerged that the Latin Catholic Church played a decisive role in selecting Congress leader Adv. V.K. Minimol as the Mayor of Kochi. Now, the Mayor herself has publicly stated that she secured the position due to the intervention of the Latin Catholic Church.
She was speaking at a reception accorded to her on January 10 by the Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC) General Council. She thanked the Church for the support extended to her in obtaining the coveted position.
The Church’s active intervention in making Minimol the Mayor had turned controversial in Kerala’s political arena. Meanwhile, Archbishop Verghese Chakkalakkal, Chairman of the Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC), has reportedly stated that the Church might have given support to Minimol and that it does not appear wrong.
Acknowledging the Church’s role, Minimol said, “The powerful intervention of the Church for the welfare of the community has brought me to this position. I am grateful to the Church leadership for it.”
Interestingly, Adv. Deepthi Mary Verghese, a senior Corporation Councillor and General Secretary of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), has come out with sharp criticism against the Church.
She reportedly alleged that the Church’s intervention is anti-Constitutional. In response, Minimol issued a clarification, stating that her remarks were an emotional response.
Adv. Deepthi Mary Verghese has claimed that the Congress had projected her, ahead of the Local Self Government Body elections, as the future Mayor. She believes she was sidelined because she belongs to the Marthoma Church.
In Kochi and surrounding areas, both the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) have traditionally attempted to field Latin Catholic Christians in significant electoral positions.
There is a prevailing assumption in political circles that Kochi and its surroundings are dominated by the Latin Christian denomination.
The Mayorship has been divided between Minimol and Shaini Mathew, another Latin Catholic councillor, for two-and-a-half years each.
Observers believe that Adv. Deepthi Mary Verghese is unacceptable to the Church for two reasons. First, she is married to a Hindu and is a temple-goer. Her temple darshan video reportedly went viral after the controversy erupted.
The same observers believe that Minimol, a Hindu by birth, married a Latin Catholic and later embraced Christianity.
Now, people in Kerala are confused about what constitutes secularism, communalism, and pseudo-secularism.
The very same Congress party has repeatedly alleged that the BJP is communal and is working overtime for a Hindu vote bank.
With these revelations, the real picture appears to have emerged, leading to yet another round of infighting within the Congress, even before the controversy surrounding the selection process has subsided.
