Fr. Kuriakose Mattam, Vicar of Mankuva parish church, Idukki, has been removed from the position, immediately after he joined BJP. After receiving BJP membership from BJP district president K.S. Aji, Fr. Kuriakose said that he does not see joining BJP as a taboo. He said, he decided to join BJP after studying the contemporary happenings and incidents thoroughly. Wearing saffron shawl, the vicar said, he does not believe that BJP is an anti-Christian party.
K.S. Aji told on the occasion that Fr. Kuriakose’s BJP entry is a befitting reply to those who work day and night to misguide the people and isolate BJP by misinterpreting issues like Manipur, etc. And, Fr. Kuriakose’s BJP entry is a serious warning to those who try to divide religious minorities while BJP tries to hold them together with the party.
But, immediately after the historic incident, Church authorities removed Fr. Kuriakose from the parish duty. Idukki Diocese said, in its press release, that the action against the priest is a temporary one, for the time being. Media reports suggest that Bishop convened an urgent meeting to discuss the ‘unprecedented’ incident. Obviously, the meeting might have discussed the disciplinary action to be taken against Fr. Kuriakose Mattam.
Later on, media quoted a representative of the Church that the clergy is not permitted to join any party as the Church comprises of people attached to various political parties. It is reported that action is under Canon Law.
Fr. Kuriakose Mattam has been serving as the parish vicar of St. Thomas parish church since the last three years. It will take two more years before he retires from the parish responsibilities.
K.S. Aji said that Fr. Kuriakose Mattam joined BJP after studying all recent developments happening around and all aspects of them.
It should be recalled that recently several Christian groups made it a point to criticise BJP in connection with Manipur incidents. In some places, children’s processions were organized; they carried placards displaying Manipur issues.
When Mananeeya K.S. Sudarshanji was the RSS Sarsanghchalak, he had initiated dialogues with Christian leaders. And, several such meetings took place in different parts of the country.
But, in Kerala, both ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front and opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front have been shouting on top of their voice that RSS and BJP keep on massacring Christians in Manipur. But their arguments do not gain much currency as the knowledgeable souls are able see through the vote bank design of both Fronts. Several elite people belonging to minority communities join BJP. And, intellectuals from those communities address RSS rallies in the state on specific occasions. People in large numbers tell RSS workers and members of Sangh-inspired organizations during private talks that Sangh people are not against minorities but do always stand for the nation.
