 "Kerala BJP to invite Christians for Vishu celebrations as part of 'Sneha Yatra'")
synopsis
As a continuation of Sneha Yatra, BJP leaders will invite Christians from nearby houses on Vishu day, the Malayalam new year which falls on April 15 this year.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) kicked off an outreach programme 'Sneha Yatra' on Easter Sunday as part of its efforts to bring close the state's Christian community. Several party leaders visited Bishops of the Catholic Church as part of the programme.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi to visit Wayanad for first time since disqualification on Tuesday
As per Prime Minister Narendra Modi's directive, the BJP's Sneha Yatra to Christian homes on Easter received a warm welcome everywhere. BJP workers reached Christian homes and gave the Prime Minister's Easter message. The BJP claimed that there was a miraculous change in the attitude of the Christian community towards the party.
The party leaders reckon that the great reception from the Christian community is proof of change. As a continuation of Sneha Yatra, BJP leaders will invite Christians from nearby houses on Vishu day, the Malayalam new year which falls on April 15 this year.
The BJP is trying to bring the Christian groups closer to the party, including in Kerala and North Eastern states. The leadership believes that this will be crucial to get the seats that were not available in 2019.
At his hometown of Kozhikode, BJP state unit president K Surendran paid a visit to two bishops, and senior leader and Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan sent Easter greetings to Thomas J. Netto, head of the Thiruvananthapuram Archdiocese. In Kannur, party national vice-president A P Abdullakutty met Thalassery archbishop Joseph Pamplany along with senior leader P K Krishnadas.
According to Surendran, Christians support the BJP in a resounding manner and highly regard the Modi-led administration. He said that the Christians in Kerala observed the advantages of sound administration in the Northeastern states and Goa, where the religious minority community is numerically dominant. He noted that Christians in Kerala were anticipating a similar transformation.
The government Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) and the opposition Congress have criticized the BJP's outreach effort, which is being carried out with an eye toward the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. These parties brought up cases of the Hindu rightwing attacking churches in north India.
subscribe to Asianet News Whatsapp channel by clicking here.
subscribe to Asianet News on YouTube by clicking here.