Christians in Kerala could see BJP's hypocrisy: Congress

Kochi: The Christian community understands the Sangh Parivar's "hypocrisy" Kerala Congress slammed BJP on Tuesday over its recent outreach to the community, PTI reported.

Kerala Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly, VD Satheeshan, said that Christians in Kerala would not accept BJP. He called the party a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Speaking to reporters, Satheeshan said that it is part of the BJP's attempt to court the Christian vote bank since Sangh Parivar knows that it cannot attack the Christians as they do in north India.

"The Christians very well understand the hypocrisy of the BJP and its newfound love towards that community. There is a rise in the number of attacks towards the Christian community... In a petition filed before the Supreme Court, the community has said that 598 churches were attacked... Recently, a BJP minister from Karnataka has asked his followers to beat up Christians," Satheesan said.

He reminded that Sangh Parivar has been attacking Christians across the country, but they are trying to woo the members of that community in Kerala.

"The people of the state do understand the hypocrisy of the BJP... They know that the act of the BJP leaders visiting the Bishop's houses was a farce. People will not accept the BJP, which is a wolf in sheep's clothing," the senior Congress leader said.

BJP's recent stunt of its party leaders visiting Christian houses has gathered wider attention, and Congress, as well as ruling CPI(M), strongly came down on the saffron party's outreach programme.

BJP leaders in Kerala visited the Bishops of various Christian communities on Easter and also hosted breakfast and feast for the members of the group on the occasion of Vishu with an aim to attract the prominent minority religion. The 'Sneha Yatra' was also conducted at Christian homes on Easter as an attempt to forge close ties with the Christian community as part of efforts to court them ahead of the 2024 general elections, PTI writes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had claimed last month that it would gain power in Kerala, and the party's new programme could be seen as a part of it.

Pointing out the plight of Christians and their worship places in the north, such as the BJP-ruled Uttarakhand, the Congress and Communist parties highlighted BJP's double standards and hypocrisy. There were umpteen incidents of Christians being attacked, churches vandalized, communions disrupted after mobs barging in etc., from BJP-ruled states in north India.