Bishop’s narcotic jihad claim divides Kerala society
A remark by a Catholic bishop about the threat from ‘narcotic jihad’ in Kerala has political parties struggling to strike the right note, given the high sensitivity about the subject.
The bishop, Mar Joseph Kallarangatt, had last Thursday told a church congregation that Catholic girls and youth were becoming victims of a ‘narcotic jihad’ and complained that the authorities were not taking it seriously.
The remark triggered a fierce debate over the issue, with the mainstream political parties condemning the bishop for allegedly trying to bring about a communal divide.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the bishop should have been more careful in airing
his views, which had serious implications for the society. Vijayan said drug abuse did not have any communal colour and was a problem with the whole society.
Opposition leader VD Satheesan also criticised the bishop and remarked that he had perhaps fallen into a trap laid by the Sangh Parivar.
At the same time, sections within both the ruling LDF as
well as opposition UDF have supported the bishop, creating a dilemma for the front leaderships.
A section of the Christian community, while agreeing with the bishop on the existence of the problem, however, questioned the propriety of his using the word ‘jihad’.
The bishop’s remark led to
protests outside his house both in support and opposition. Church groups held rallies at various places in support of the bishop.
But the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) stood firmly behind the bishop to defend him and claimed that he had only spoken the truth.