Thiruvananthapuram | A powerful body of senior Catholic clergy in Kerala on Wednesday indirectly cautioned the BJP that any prospective friendship would depend on securing justice for two nuns from the state jailed in Chhattisgarh over alleged conversion and human trafficking.
Addressing reporters here, Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) president, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, said the incident would be a determining factor in the Church's political stance.
"If no justice is done, then what friendship can there be? How can we speak of perfect brotherhood?" the Cardinal asked, expressing displeasure over the denial of bail to the two nuns, who were arrested following complaints reportedly made by Bajrang Dal activists.
"The nuns are yet to get bail. This will be a criterion. Naturally, we will observe developments and decide accordingly," he said.
Cleemis questioned the "sincerity of outreach efforts" when justice was being denied to the nuns.
"Everyone should act on what they preach and show sincerity. This is what we expect," he said, responding to questions about the BJP's attempts to engage with the Christian community in the state.
While Cleemis did not mention the BJP directly, his remarks came at a time when the party's Kerala unit is intensifying efforts to woo minority communities ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.
Reacting to BJP Kerala chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s statement rejecting the allegations against the nuns, the Cardinal said the leader himself had clarified that the charges of forced conversion and trafficking were baseless.
"There is no need for further explanation," he added.
Cleemis urged all political parties to rise above their affiliations and speak out in support of the nuns, calling for their freedom and constitutional rights to be upheld.
He also thanked Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty for visiting him and expressing the state government's support.
After the meeting, Sivankutty told reporters that the BJP’s claims of minority outreach were "hypocritical".
He criticised union ministers from Kerala for "maintaining silence on the issue" and called it "dangerous and disappointing."
"If they’re targeting nuns today, priests could be next," the minister alleged, accusing BJP leaders of "wearing a mask".
The arrest of the two Kerala-based Catholic nuns in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh has triggered a political row, with the Congress and CPI(M) strongly criticising the move.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, however, accused the opposition of "politicising the matter."
