By P. A. Chacko
Sahibganj, Feb 1, 2020: Capuchin Father Joseph Puthenpurackal has been on a speed delivery of speeches, counselling talks, church sermons, retreat preachings, and TV channel appearances. He has the gift of the gab, they say. And, he thrives on it, it appears. The Kottayam-based priest can keep his audience enthralled with his witty jokes and quirky examples bordering on mimicry.
Some say, he can amuse his hearers even in religious sanctuaries with stories and figures ferreted out of couples’ bedroom gimmicks. A gentleman has described him as next to south Indian cine star Jagathi Sreekumar for his mimicry jokes and slapstick performances.
True, the preacher has varieties of examples imaginatively illustrated and tastefully delivered. He appears to revel in accolades within the country and abroad for his channel shows and public appearances with amusing stories and titillating revelations sugar-coated with hearsay half-truths. Many claim that this is the image Father Puthenpurackal projects. He likes the comic description of him as ‘Coffee powder priest,’ because he dons a coffee colour outfit.
The latest controversy he has fathered is not a small matter. Appearing in a video that has gone viral, Father Puthenpurackal did not just cast aspersions on Biblical Father Abraham’s children, but declared in public that this community, with its terrorist tendency, has killed more Christians compared with any other community. What is more disturbing is his open statement that it is not the Hindus who kill Christians but Muslims who do so the world over. One wonders, if such open communal and unchristian statements are expected of a Christian priest.
Going a step further, Father Puthenpurackal has revealed his utter lack of history by dishing out unhistorical facts with lies, half-truths and false theories. For example, flashbacking Tippu Sultan’s birth to 500 years, he speaks of Tippu’s murderous escapades and forced conversions of Christians and Hindus. Unfortunately, a renowned preacher and public figure of sorts, he has exposed his utter lack of historical correctness and has indulged in weird interpretations. Not expected of a man acclaimed to be a successful modern crowd-pulling preacher claiming international acclaim.
Here is the content of Puthenpurackal’s expose: Wodeyar King’s army General, Tippu Sultan, came on horseback to Malabar. He and his army shot dead Christians and eliminated many Hindus. Five hundred and fifteen years ago, Tippu forcefully converted them. The Muslims are not trustworthy folks. We survive in Mumbay because of Shiv Sena. Otherwise, Muslims will have eliminated us
When I went to Mumbay to preach retreat, I heard like that. Muslims entertain more religious fanaticism than Hindus. Who kill us? Hindus? No, it is the Muslims. In the world over, it is the Muslims who kill us. Tippu and his army came via Aluva and, as they reached Alangad, there was a mango tree with a bent down shape. The army could not move forward. Therefore, that area was named Koonammavu (Place of bent down Mango tree). Then, due to war in Wodeyar, he retreated with his army. That was 500 years back. Had he not gone back then, his army would have invaded Kottayam, Adoor, Pathanamthitta, Devalokam, Ranni etc. And, if that had ever happened, today your names will have been Suleka, Fatima, Bashir, Mustafa etc. (Source:Video: https://youtu.be/ARYUCFN1Lr4 Kappipodiachan).
Even fifth grade students learn from authentic text books that Tippu was born in 1750, that is about 270 years ago and not 500 years ago. How come Father Puthenpurackal presents a spice-wrapped mish-mash concoction of lies that is music to the ears of the Sangh Parivar. A recent video highlight by Tejas News/Inquest brings out the Puthenpurackal-centered controversy and questions his authenticity as an honest and trustworthy religious preacher.
Tejas news anchor has an ‘Inquest’ query about this so-called ‘Chiri-achan’ (smiling priest) who, according to the anchor, harbours ‘communal poison’ under the cover of his priestly habit. Calling the priest a blur on India’s secular sanctity, the channel has projected the video highlights of Puthenpurackal’s visceral comments.
The Channel calls for an honest inquiry into Puthenpurackal’s style and content of preachings and public statements. His reference to Tippu’s forced conversion of Hindus is refuted by those who have read history that Tippu had seventeen Brahmins as his ministers. They question how Tippu did not convert them by force or by his crook and staff. (Source:Tejas News /Inquest www.youtube.com https://youtu.be/edeH3gejKZI).
The comments by Puthenpurackal are not just disturbing in a secular India, but uncharitable, unchristian, and provocative. Especially in this explosive time, when Indian citizenship is being determined or re-scripted and even denied by the Sangh Parivar-backed Central government on the basis of people’s religious identity.
When the secularity of the nation is being dumped into the waste bin by communal forces and when the constitutional values are being questioned, how come a Christian priest can spew communal venom pointing out one particular religious community?
The nation is awake with a call for restoration of democratic principles and respect for all religions. These ideals are inbuilt in our Constitution. Today, when sinister forces with communal ideology are waiting to rewrite this sacred constitution and throw overboard secular principles, it is difficult to understand how a Christian preacher with the Bible in hand can preach with communal passion saturated with lies that contradict historical facts!
How come he is unaware of persecutions of Christians in northern India by Hindu fanatics? Graham Staines and his two minor sons were burnt alive in a midnight orgy by communal fanatics whose religious orientation everybody knows. The Kandhamal tragedy in Odisha was not perpetrated by Muslims. Christian schools in many parts of India were not attacked by Parsees, Sikhs or Muslims. The Gujarat orgy was not presided over by a Sheikh.
With regard to the Citizenship Amendment Act, the nation has been thrown into a convulsion of revolt and resentment. Priests and pundits, students and farmers, intellectuals and housewives are on the road crying foul at the Central government’s attempt to divide India and Indian citizens into religious entities and dump some citizens into detention camps. The Church has expressed solidarity with the forces of peaceful dissent against the CAA/NRC/NPR that define citizenship on the basis of religion. And, here is a churchman who dons a priestly habit but speaks the saffron language.
This is the limit! An unfortunate re-mix of fiction, half-truth and unhistorical lies fit for mimicry shows. Even if the video has been recalled, as some claim, the damage is done. (It is still available on YouTube) Many are questioning his credibility even as a preacher. They doubt the content of his rudderless preachings.
Wit devoid of wisdom is junk. Sanity and historical sense with veritable facts should be the tools that every honest preacher should have in his kit. Puthenpurackal needs better check his kit unless he wants to drag the Church into unnecessary controversy.
(P. A. Chacko is a Jesuit missionary priest who has worked in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand for the past 50 years.)