Church Takes a Stand: Kerala's Catholic Community Criticizes BJP Over Nun Arrests

The Catholic Church in Kerala has launched a scathing critique of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological supporters, the Sangh Parivar, following the arrest of two nuns from the state in Chhattisgarh. In a hard-hitting editorial in its mouthpiece, Deepika Daily, the Church denounced the situation as a systemic attack on the secular tenets of the Indian Constitution.

The editorial accused the BJP of crafting a Hindutva nation, arguing that this is being done with implicit governmental support and despite routine opposition protests. It warns of biased legal frameworks undermining minority rights and suggests that such actions are contravening constitutional values, describing the state of affairs as near-theocratic.

Highlighting investigations involving central government officials and right-wing activists, the Church alleged that minorities, particularly the Christian community, face an escalating environment of fear and marginalization. This sentiment was echoed by political figures in Kerala, intensifying the backlash after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called for intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

(With inputs from agencies.)