- Feb 5, 2002
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government is trying to secure Christian support, despite his party’s record of failing to protect Christians from violence in other Indian states.
KOCHI, India — Despite efforts by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to woo the crucial Christian voters in the southern Christian heartland of Kerala ahead of this year’s elections to the Indian Parliament, a flurry statements and reactions indicate Church leaders remain wary of the BJP.
“Christians in Manipur and elsewhere in North India are facing brutal assault from the powers of darkness. There has been no effective intervention on the part of the authorities. It is high time we adopted a stand against the forces of evil,” said Archbishop Thomas Netto of Trivandrum in his Good Friday homily to thousands gathered at Payalam Cathedral. Trivandrum is Kerala’s capital city.
“We should make use of the opportunity [of the election] to express our opinion,” said Archbishop Netto, who heads the Latin-rite Church in Kerala. There are nearly 7 million Christians in Kerala, constituting 18% of the state’s total population.
The Pioneer daily newspaper noted that while candidates for the rival Congress Party and the Communist Party of India participated in the Way of the Cross and listened to the sermon, along with supporters of both parties, the local BJP candidate and other BJP members were notable by their absence.
Continued below.
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KOCHI, India — Despite efforts by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to woo the crucial Christian voters in the southern Christian heartland of Kerala ahead of this year’s elections to the Indian Parliament, a flurry statements and reactions indicate Church leaders remain wary of the BJP.
“Christians in Manipur and elsewhere in North India are facing brutal assault from the powers of darkness. There has been no effective intervention on the part of the authorities. It is high time we adopted a stand against the forces of evil,” said Archbishop Thomas Netto of Trivandrum in his Good Friday homily to thousands gathered at Payalam Cathedral. Trivandrum is Kerala’s capital city.
“We should make use of the opportunity [of the election] to express our opinion,” said Archbishop Netto, who heads the Latin-rite Church in Kerala. There are nearly 7 million Christians in Kerala, constituting 18% of the state’s total population.
The Pioneer daily newspaper noted that while candidates for the rival Congress Party and the Communist Party of India participated in the Way of the Cross and listened to the sermon, along with supporters of both parties, the local BJP candidate and other BJP members were notable by their absence.
Continued below.
Catholic Church Leaders in Kerala Speak Out Against Attacks on Christians as National Election Looms
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government is trying to secure Christian support, despite his party’s record of failing to protect Christians from violence in other Indian states.
