PM Modi's symbolic gesture inconsistent with RSS-VHP actions: Kerala Orthodox Church bishop

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 24 (IANS) A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Christmas celebrations organised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) in Delhi, the Orthodox Bishop of the Thrissur diocese, Yuhanon Mar Meletius expressed anguish over reports of some VHP activists disrupting an event in a Kerala school.

Speaking to IANS, the bishop remarked that while the Prime Minister was bowing before the Christmas crib at the CBCI headquarters in New Delhi, leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) were reportedly involved in anti-Christmas activities in Palakkad, Kerala.

The bishop referred to allegations that a group of VHP activists had disrupted a school event in Nallamangalam, Palakkad district, where children were dressed as Santa Claus and paraded on the streets.

According to him, the activists made derogatory remarks during the incident.

Additionally, there were reports of Christmas cribs being vandalized at two other schools in Palakkad district, with allegations pointing towards the involvement of RSS and VHP members.

Bishop Meletius accused the BJP and RSS of a dual strategy -- engaging with Church leadership while targeting Christian symbols and celebrations at the grassroots.

He said the BJP, as the political arm of the RSS, promotes an ideology aimed at establishing upper-caste Hindu dominance in the country.

“India is a secular democratic country with immense diversity. The ideology of the RSS cannot be easily implemented here,” the bishop said.

He further emphasized the significant contributions of the Christian community in India, particularly in the education, healthcare, and social service sectors.

He added that the BJP’s attempts to win over Christians at the leadership level while undermining their beliefs at the grassroots are evident and unacceptable.

The bishop also mentioned that Hindu organisations have started making claims over some established churches after claiming that ancient Hindu idols were once present in those churches.

Bishop Meletius expressed his belief that Prime Minister Modi’s act of bowing before the Christmas crib at the CBCI headquarters was a symbolic gesture inconsistent with the actions of RSS and VHP at ground level.