Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday strongly flayed the 'narcotic jihad' remarks of a bishop.
The chief minister's statement came after religious leaders, including heads of various churches, flayed the remarks of Mar Joseph Kallarangatt, bishop of Pala in Kottayam district, that jihadis were trying to destroy non-Muslims through 'love jihad' and 'narcotic jihad'. The opposition parties and Muslim outfits were also accusing the state government for not trying to sort out the issue.
Though Vijayan had initially maintained that the bishop's statement was unfortunate, the ruling CP(I)M was not as aggressive in flaying the bishop as a section of Christian factions were backing 'love jihad' contention. The chief minister also maintained that there was no need for police case against the bishop.
On Tuesday, Vijayan said that a person holding a high position should not have made 'narcotic jihad' remark in any context without realising facts. Kerala society would not accept such contentions. The centre had already clarified that the there was no sort of 'love jihad' in Kerala, he said at a function.
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Published 21 September 2021, 17:49 IST