A senior priest of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kerala, Yuhanon Mor Meletius, criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over Christmas celebrations. His remarks were made in light of recent disruptions of festivities in Palakkad allegedly by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) members.
In a Facebook post shared a day after Modi attended Christmas celebrations hosted by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) in New Delhi, Meletius wrote, “Over there, bishops are honoured, and cribs are revered. Here, cribs are destroyed. There must be a saying in Malayalam for such behaviour, right?”
The remarks, which went viral, prompted the Orthodox Church to clarify its position. Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, stated that the comments represented Meletius’s personal opinion and not the Church’s stance, news agency PTI reported. He emphasised that the Church respects all political parties and leaders equally and maintains a neutral stance.
The controversy stems from reported incidents in Palakkad, where VHP members allegedly disrupted school Christmas celebrations, and unidentified miscreants damaged a symbolic crib created by children at another school. These actions sparked widespread protests across Kerala, prompting the state government to launch a special police investigation.
Speaking to reporters, Baselios Marthoma Mathews III condemned the incidents, stating that such acts, whether in the north or south, were unacceptable. “The destruction of Christian churches and the damage to the crib are matters of concern,” he added, as quoted by PTI.
CBCI President Mar Andrews Thazhath also distanced the organisation from Meletius’s remarks. “We invited the Prime Minister of India, not a BJP leader, to our Christmas celebrations. The invitation was extended not based on politics,” he clarified. Thazhath further noted that the Church had conveyed its concerns to Modi, urging him to focus on inclusive development for all religious communities.
ALSO READ | PM Modi On Germany Christmas Market Attack: ‘Pains My Heart When There Are Attempts To Spread Violence’
Congress, CPI Slam PM Modi's Participation In Christmas Celebration: ‘Biggest Example Of Double Standards’
The events drew criticism from political leaders as well. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala accused Modi of allowing Sangh Parivar outfits to disrupt Christmas celebrations while attending festive events in New Delhi. “Modi is the biggest example of double standards,” Chennithala alleged, condemning the incidents in Palakkad and highlighting the fear Christians face during Christmas.
Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretary Binoy Viswam echoed these sentiments, calling Modi’s participation in CBCI’s celebrations a “drama of political hypocrisy.” Viswam criticised Modi for speaking about Christ’s love while disruptions continued in Kerala, urging the Prime Minister to visit Manipur with a message of peace.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly condemned the disruptions, urging unity against communal forces in the state. “Some malicious communal forces are attempting to weaken Kerala’s tradition and turn religious beliefs into causes of hatred,” he said, highlighting alleged attacks by the Sangh Parivar as troubling signs.
Meanwhile, at the CBCI event in New Delhi, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance of love, harmony, and brotherhood, in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ. “It pains my heart when there are attempts to spread violence and cause disruption in society,” Modi remarked, marking the first time a prime minister attended a Christmas programme at the Catholic Church headquarters in India.