Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church head Catholicos Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews III.
Credit: X
Thiruvananthapuram: Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church head Catholicos Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews III has expressed concerns that even as the feeder outfits of the RSS are stepping up attacks against the Christian community, the political leadership is not taking appropriate action.
He also cautioned that the attacks that were so far happening outside the churches may soon enter church premises.
"After nuns, now priests and Christmas celebrations outside churches are coming under attack. There won't be much delay in such attacks entering the churches. RSS's feeder outfits Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad were unleashing the attack. In all religions there are fanatics. As the political leaderships fail to take action against such fanatics, the Christian community and other minorities tend to believe that the attacks are part of plans of the leaderships," he said at a function in Kottayam.
Meanwhile, a BJP delegation led by Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar called on the orthodox church on Friday.
Even as the party leaders maintain that it was only a courtesy call, the visit assumed much significance as Assembly elections are approaching in Kerala and BJP had been making serious efforts to woo the Christian voters.
But the back-to-back incidents of attack of nuns and priests, including many from Kerala, at various parts of the country, is a major setback to BJP's Christian outreach efforts.
Christian community constitutes over 18 per cent of Kerala population as per the 2011 census.
In many constituencies across Kerala, the Christian community is a decisive vote bank.