By Jose Kavi
New Delhi, March 19, 2023: Catholics across India have reacted angrily to an archbishop in Kerala, who has offered conditional support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that heads the federal coalition government.
Archbishop Joseph Pamplany of Tellicherry on March 18 assured the BJP at least one seat from the southern Indian state if the federal government raises the price of rubber to 300 rupees.
The Syro-Malabar prelate was addressing a farmers’ rally at Alakode, a village in the eastern region of Kerala’s Kannur district where rubber is the main crop.
The Hindu nationalist BJP currently has no parliamentary or legislative seat in Kerala, where Christians form more than 18 percent of 35.77 million.
Archbishop Pamplany’s statement “cannot be accepted as the stand of Christians in Kerala, though there have been attempts by Christian leaders to align with the BJP,” says Father Suresh Mathew, editor of Indian Currents weekly.
Referring to the prelate’s assurance, John Dayal of the 104-year-old All India Catholic Union (AICU), the largest laity organization in the country, asks: “Are the Catholic votes in Kerala available to the highest bidder?”
AICU’s March 19 statement asserts that voting should not be based on short term benefits, but on what is beneficial to the nation.
“The archbishop’s statement, which surely does not have the support even of the other bishops in the state of Kerala, is similar to taking money for votes,” says Dayal, the AICU spokesperson.
A C Michael, president of the Catholic federations of the Delhi archdiocese, says the archbishop has a choice to resign as a priest and join a political party if he is interested in politics.
“Everyone in our democracy has a right to choose someone as his legislative or parliamentary representative. The same is applicable to Archbishop Joseph Pamplany of Tellicherry. But the moment he is imposing his thinking on others he has crossed the line of democracy,” Michael told Matters India.
The Indian Catholic Forum (ICF), another laity group, says it is “aghast and astounded” at the archbishop’s purported statement.
“It would seem that the Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala, that was once the pride of the community, has now hit the pits, thanks to an arrogant hierarchy and an ignorant and somnambulant laity. This, despite a 2,000-year heritage,” laments forum’s national convener chhotebhai.
“Who is the archbishop to assure votes to the BJP, for whatever reason? Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Wonder what the price of rubber was at that time?” the lay leader asks.
The ICF statement says the Kerala hierarchy “in particular seems to be more concerned about protecting its institutional and financial wealth, rather than considering the interests of the common person.”
However, Ignatius Gonsalves, a Kochi-based senior journalist, says Archbishop Pamplany is justified in highlighting the sad plight of farmers, particularly the rubber farmers.
“His spirited plea and relentless campaign for redressal are laudable too. But the barter offer that he makes to the BJP deserves nothing but outright condemnation,” Gonsalves says.
He regrets that the prelate seems “least bothered about the larger Indian realities and the general interests of the Church in India. It is quite disturbing that Mar Pamplany continues to defend his position with enhanced vehemence.”
Carmelite Missionaries Sister Manju Devarapalli, secretary of the National Dalit Christian Watch, says Archbishop Pamplany has “stooped below an average human, leave aside a Christian” with his support to the BJP.
“Pope Francis asks bishops to smell the sheep but he smells a thief. A corrupt archbishop is a scandal. He must be stripped off his position,” she asserts.
Father Mathew regrets that the Christian religious leaders in Kerala have little idea about the ideology behind the BJP, the “political face” of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the umbrella organization of Hindu nationalist groups. “Their ultimate intention is to establish Hindu Rashtra (nation,” Father Mathew told Matters India on March 19.
The priest points out that the official Church teachings do not allow alignment with any political party. “Individuals have freedom to vote for the party they like. Today, no Christian will follow the diktat of priests and bishops,” he adds.
Father Mathew finds it strange that the prelate only favor rubber farmers whereas Kerala people in the state grow coconuts, cardamom, pepper, arecanut and other cash crops. “Christian leaders can demand fair prices for all farm products. Why does he limit to one product? To get a fair price is the right of farmers,” the priest says.
The editor says none can ignore the escalating violence against Christians in various parts of India. He wants the archbishop to ask why the number of attacks on Christian communities has skyrocketed after the Modi government came to power.
“What is the strategy of the BJP in wooing Christians in some parts of the country while targeting them brutally in other places? What is the logic in enacting anti-conversion laws when the Christian population remains stagnant in the country and hardly any conviction takes place in such cases? More importantly, what is the justification for denying religious freedom, granted in the Constitution of India, using the bogey of forced conversion?” Father Mathew asks.
Archbishop Pamplany’s statement came two weeks after 93 former civil servants wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about recent increase in attacks on Christians in India. Banded under the Constitutional Conduct Group, the bureaucrats, urged Modi in their March 4 open letter to reassure Christians in the country that it will get equal and unbiased treatment from administration and the law.
The archdiocese of Tellicherry has spearheaded the Kerala farmers’ demand fair price for their crops for more than a year. Hundreds of thousands had attended a rally last in Kannur town, but the media overlooked the event.
“Archbishop Pamplany took the BJP name this time and the entire media fell for it,” says an observer.
Baby Manayanickal, a rubber farmer in Kannur’s Pottenplavu village, says the rubber price has remained around 150 rupees for the past 18 years.
K J Antony, another farmer, says his archbishop has raised a serious concern of farmers, but it is up to the people whom they vote. “We have never voted according to what our priests or bishops have said,” he told Matters India.