Senior BJP leader and Union minister V Muraleedharan, during a felicitation event held after the consecration of Archbishop Joseph Pamplany at Thalassery in Kannur, Kerala, said that Islamic terrorism has caused much loss to Christian churches across the world, reported the Indian Express.
He went on to give examples from Iraq, Syria, and Sri Lanka.
“Much Christian blood has flowed in Iraq, Syria, and even in India’s neighbouring country Sri Lanka. Christians were massacred in Sri Lanka on Easter in 2018 by Islamic extremists at a time when Pope Francis exhorts to love everyone,” said Muraleedharan, who has been serving as the Union Minister of State for External Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs of India since May 2019.
Claiming that the Narendra Modi government views the Church's anxiety with serious concern, Muraleedharan attacked left leaders like George M Thomas of the CPI (M) and Kerala Congress (M) chairman Jose K Mani, who he alleged shared their concerns over "love jihad" as well but had to go back on their words.
“It is a matter of concern that cases are registered against bishops if they use the word jihad. Who else other than the Church leadership can say that there is a planned attempt to convert Christian women? There are lot of evidences about trapping Christian women in love jihad,” Muraleedharan was quoted saying in the Indian Express.
His comments are significant because Kerala BJP president K Surendran recently announced that Union Home Minister Amit Shah would attend a leadership meeting of the party's Kerala unit to discuss an action plan against “religious terrorism”.
(With inputs from Indian Express)
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