Religious leaders in Kerala gather today in bid to quell row over 'narcotic jihad'

Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis
Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church

Thiruvananthapuram: Prominent religious leaders in Kerala are slated to meet in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday in a bid to end the raging controversy over the 'narcotic jihad' threat flagged by the Pala Bishop.

The meet will be held at 3.30pm under the leadership of Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis, head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

Religious leaders from Christian, Hindu and Muslim communities are expected to participate in the meeting.

State Congress leaders had met with heads of various communities on Sunday to settle the row.

KPCC president K Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan met Samastha Kerala Jem'iyyathul Ulema leader Sayyid Muhammad Jifri Muthukkoya Thangal, Sunni leader AP Aboobacker Musliyar and Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen leader Abdulla Koya Madani to resolve the issue.

Earlier this month, Pala Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt had triggered a controversy by flagging that 'love and narcotic jihad' are ruining non-Muslim youth.

He dubbed narcotic jihad or drug jihad as a method adopted by Islamic fundamentalists to turn the youth of other religions into drug addicts. The Bishop had made the controversial statement during a sermon at a church in Kuravilangad.

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