Some are dividing Christians claiming 'Love jihad': Kerala priest
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Kannur: Referring to the controversial act by the Syro Malabar Church Idukki diocese, who screened the controversial propaganda film "The Kerala Story", Archbishop of the Thalassery diocese of the Syro Malabar Church, Mar Joseph Pamplani said on Saturday that some groups are attempting to create division and communalism among Christians, The News Minute reported.
He urged youngsters not to be narrow-minded, slamming organisations that are trying to "protect women" from love jihad. He asked young girls to say they have self-esteem and cannot be cheated through love-jihad.
The Idukki diocese of Syro Malabar Church, as well as some churches under the Thalassery diocese in Kerala, screened the problematic film to catechism students just before the Lok Sabha elections. The film makes many false claims about Kerala, including the radicalisation of women of various faiths to deploy them on terrorist missions in India and abroad. The film also claims that members of the Muslim community use 'love-Jihad' to woo young girls of other faiths, convert them and use them in aforementioned terrorist missions.
Speaking at the Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM) conference in Chemperi in Kannur district, Pamplani addressed young women, saying that some people are stepping in as the protectors of girls in the Christian community. However, young girls must be enlightened to say that they have self-esteem and no one can cheat them in the name of love.
He continued that Christians have to tell the story of love, which is the story of Jesus. Many people among Christians are sowing division and communalism among the community, he reminded. The youth must never forget the love of Jesus and the glory of humanity.
He added that if the youth became parochial, the whole country would fall into the darkness of parochialism.
TNM reported that the Archbishop said, "No communalists need to communalise here by mentioning the name of our women. We would not allow this anymore. Our community knows how to protect our young women," taking a dg at Christian Association And Alliance For Social Action (CASA). CASA is a pro-Sangh Parivar Christian outfit in Kerala.