Notwithstanding a high-profile outreach initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strengthen the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) foothold among the Christian community, unease among Catholics in Kerala over a perceived surge in anti-Christian attacks by alleged Sangh Parivar groups appears steadily escalating into a heated political discourse.
Expressing deep displeasure over the spate of violence in northern and central India, Deepika, the mouthpiece of the Syro-Malabar Church, did not hold back its criticism of the Prime Minister in an editorial published on Monday (December 29, 2025). “When Hindutva extremists vandalised Christmas decorations and unleashed violence, the Prime Minister, who came to church to offer prayers, was not doing it to reassure the citizens of the country, but to show off to leaders of foreign countries. Perhaps, he could have addressed the authorities of the Union government. Otherwise, he could have condemned the attacks or taken a firm stance against them,” read the editorial.
The episode, which follows closely on the heels of the attack and arrest of two nuns in Chhattisgarh over alleged religious conversion, has struck a particularly sensitive chord in Kerala. It has sparked widespread debate in parishes across Central Travancore, a region historically known for sending a large number of missionaries to northern India. Political parties across the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) too have condemned the attacks and highlighted the gaps in the BJP’s outreach to Christians in Kerala.
“Things have reached a point where even Christmas goods cannot be sold openly in the streets in north India,” says Jose K. Mani, chairman of the Kerala Congress (M). Kottayam MP K. Francis George, Deputy Chairman of the Kerala Congress that is part of the UDF, meanwhile, has termed the attacks “an infringement on the freedom of worship.”
For the BJP, the timing could hardly be worse. With Assembly elections just months away, the episode threatens to undermine the party’s political traction among Catholics, especially in the Central Travancore and north Malabar settlement areas. In response, the party has launched outreach missions with Church leadership under Union Minister of State George Kurian.
“This concerted attempt by a section of the media and politicians to tarnish the image of the BJP among the Christians has been going on for a while now. To counter this, the party has been in constant touch with Church leaders to allay any concerns,” said Summit George, president of the Minority Morcha in Kerala.
The BJP-Church relationship in Kerala has seen dramatic swings in recent years. Ties warmed with Mr. Modi’s meeting with top bishops in Kochi in 2023, while subsequent attacks on churches in Manipur strained this fragile bond. The party attempted to regain ground by supporting the Church’s criticism of pro-Palestinian stances and encouraging greater political participation among Christians. The recent attacks on nuns in Chhattisgarh, followed by reports of Christmas-related violence, appear to have once again put the BJP’s position among Kerala Christians in a spot.
Published – December 29, 2025 07:29 pm IST
