Kerala CM Condemns BJP's Christian Outreach Programme, Slams Centre Over Manipur Violence

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan chose Central Kerala, where the Christian community holds significant voting influence, to criticize the BJP for the violence in Manipur.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the BJP's Christian outreach programme in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha polls on Monday. The CM took on the saffron party for the violence in Manipur allegedly targeting the minority community and called it an attack equivalent to "genocide".

According to a report on PTI, Vijayan characterized the ongoing events in the northeastern state as an attack tantamount to "genocide." In a critique of the Prime Minister's Christmas program, the Marxist leader remarked that someone occupying the highest office, despite taking no measures to prevent assaults on the minority community in Manipur, was making seemingly "friendly moves for four votes" and the people can understand the situation.

The Kerala CM made the statements during a Nava Kerala Sadas program of the Left government at the Thriakkakara Assembly segment. Vijayan, addressing the gathering, took a jibe at the BJP and the party-led Union government's Christian outreach programs, suggesting that those making such gestures should realize that it won't succeed in gaining the victims' support.

He emphasized that the victims understand that these initiatives are undertaken after aligning with various forms of cruelty against them. The Chief Minister chose Central Kerala, where the Christian community holds significant voting influence, to criticize the BJP for the violence in Manipur. Notably, his remarks coincided with Prime Minister Modi's upcoming visit to Thrissur for a BJP-organized event in two days.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) faced criticism from the Church, Congress, and the BJP on Monday following Cheriyan's comments about senior Christian priests who attended Modi's Christmas program.

During the inauguration of a CPI(M) local committee office in a village in Alappuzha on Sunday, Cheriyan ridiculed the bishops who had participated in the Prime Minister's program, suggesting that they experienced "goosebumps" when invited by BJP leaders.