Day after Modi meeting with Catholic Bishops, a swipe from Kerala: ‘There they honour, here they destroy’

Metropolitan of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Yuhanon Meletius was referring to two recent incidents of disruption at Christmas celebrations at government schools in Palakkad. In one incident, three VHP leaders were arrested in Chittur, while in the other case, a search is going on for the alleged miscreants.

When students and teachers of the Government Upper Primary School at Nallepilly in Palakkad were taking part in Christmas celebrations on Friday, three VHP leaders led by Palakkad district secretary K Anil Kumar allegedly questioned the teachers why Krishna Janmashtami is not celebrated instead of Christmas. They also wanted to know why teachers were wearing Santa Claus attire. The VHP leaders were booked under BNS sections 329 (3), 296 (b), 351 (2) and 132.

In another incident reported under the same police limits in Palakkad, a crib erected at the government basic school at Thathamangalam was found vandalised on Monday. The school was closed last Friday after semester exams for a week’s Christmas holidays. Police have registered a case and a probe is on.

As part of the BJP’s continuing outreach efforts, party leaders have been visiting bishops in Kerala under a Christmas programme called the “sneha yatra” or love journey.

BJP state president K Surendran said there is a conspiracy behind the Palakkad incidents. “Action should be taken against culprits. This should be seen as part of a larger ploy to shatter the BJP’s relations with the Christian community. Our stand is very clear and sincere. Last year, when BJP Wayand district president (K Madhu) termed the priests (who protested against wildlife attacks) as terrorists in cassock, we had removed him from the post,” said Surendran.