Kochi: A day after he cautioned the Christian communities in Kerala to beware the BJP's 'Dhritrashtra Alinganam', state Congress chief K Sudhakaran has cited a recent incident from Karnataka to buttress his claim.
Karnataka Horticulture Minister Munirathna was recently booked by the police for his alleged hate speech against Christians.
In an interview with a news channel on March 31, Munirathna, a minister in the Basavaraj Bommai government, had purportedly said, "Christians are converting people at this moment also. Conversion happens the maximum in the slums. In places where there are 1,400 people, 400 of them have been converted. If they come (for conversion) then kick them out or give a complaint at the police station."
A case was registered against the Minister on a complaint by a gazetted officer who charged him with promoting enmity among people.
Sudhakaran on Sunday shared on social media video clips of news reports wherein Munirathna is heard making similar remarks. "If anyone comes in drive them around and thrash. I will take care of the rest. They should be thrashed in such a way that they should not look back,” he can be heard saying in a speech. He goes on to ask the audience to raise their hands if they are willing to beat those people who allegedly try to convert residents to Christianity.
“A BJP minister in Karnataka calls for violence against Christians, stating they should be thrashed so they don't return. The hypocrisy is evident as Kerala BJP leaders visit Christian homes on Easter. It is important for people to recognise and reject this hypocrisy,” the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president wrote on Twitter.
"The BJP leader in Karnataka says that Christians should be thrashed wherever you see them. He also promises to protect those who thrash them. In Kerala also, there is a small section of Christians who have mistaken this party (BJP) to be their saviours. If BJP leaders come to you with a smile, then at least now you should realise that it's the smile of Satan," Sudhakaran wrote on Facebook.
BJP leaders come calling
The senior Congress leader aired his comment the day when BJP leaders visited Christian homes and Bishop houses on Easter. Union Minister V Muralidharan and senior leaders met Church leaders in person and wished them well. The visit of the BJP leaders is a part of the national leadership's political policy of keeping the Christian community together.
A P Abdullahkutty, BJP vice-president, along with other party lders met Thalassery Archdiocese Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany to offer their greetings.
Hypocritical, says Satheesan
Kerala Opposition Leader V D Satheesan, also slammed the BJP's move, calling it 'ridiculous and hypocritical'. He said Munirathna's stand reflected what BJP has been doing to Christians across the country.
"Around 600 churches were attacked in four years. Even Christmas prayers were disrupted. Many, including priests, are still in jail. RSS has demanded that the Bharat Ratna conferred on Mother Teresa be revoked. They have not backed off the stand yet. The BJP leaders in Kerala are visiting Bishop's Houses on the occasion of Easter to cover up their anti-Christian stances and the cruelties meted out to the community," Satheesan said on social media.
Taking a dig at the Kerala BJP's plan to reach out to Christian families on Easter, Sudhakaran on Saturday compared the move with 'Dhritrashtra Alinganam' - the deadly hug of Kuru king Dhritarashtra in the epic Mahabharata. The Congress leader was suggesting that the saffron party wanted to destroy the Christian community by pretending to love.
In a strongly worded statement, Sudhakaran said the Sangh Parivar forces would not hesitate to go to any extent for the formation of 'Hindu Rashtra'.
