Pinaryai becoming more Christian than Christ himself

CPM fishing in troubled waters, says BJP

Pioneer News Service | Kochi

Generating suspicions among the Sangh Parivar organizations that the CPI(M) was out to fish in troubled waters, party State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that the attacks on a Catholic and a Jacobite church near the Kochi International Airport were a “small replica” of the incidents in Orisaa and Karnataka.
 
 

BJP State president PK Krishnadas was quick to respond to the allegation saying in a statement that the CPI(M)’s effort to target the Sangh Pariwar outfits in the name of these attacks were abominable. He said the CPI(M) leader had made the statement deliberately.
 

Krishnadas said that the CPI(M) leader’s statement amounted to a bid to whip up tension among communities. He also said that the CPI(M) was trying to turn the Chritian Church and Christians against the Sangh Pariwar organizations.
 

During a visit to the two churches on which unidentified trouble-makers had carried out attacks at Akapparambu village in Nedumbassery, off Aluva, the CPI(M) secretary alleged that the attacks seemed to be a small replica of the incidents in Orissa and Karnataka. He said the attacks were raising concerns among those who wanted stability in the harmony of communities.
 

He said that the Sangh Pariwar was bent on attacking minority communities and they had taken up a programme of attacking churches, priests and Christian nuns. In this context, probe should be held to understand the intentions behind the attack on churches on Akapparambu.
 

BJP sources in Kochi said Pinarayi Vijayan and his party had embarked a programme to put the Sangh Pariwar in the dock even on non-issues. A senior BJP leader said even the Church leaders had specifically said that they were convinced that the Orissa-Karnataka incidents did not have any connection with the attacks on churches in Akapparambu.
 

He said senior BJP leaders like general secretary AN Radhakrishnan had on Sunday itself condemned the attack on the churches and called for efforts to strengthen religious harmony. BJP’s Ernakulam district president Nedumbassery Ravi had visited the church with Fisheries Minister S Sarma and UDF convener PP Thankachan.
 

“Even local people there said that the Hindus and even the local BJP unit were in good relations with the Christians there. Rev Stephen Alathara of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council had been there and even he did not air any suspicion that this was an act inspired by religious hatred. Pinaryai is becoming more Christian than Christ himself,” said the BJP leader.
 

Meanwhile, the police continued vigil at the sites of the two churches at Akapparambu. Senior officials reached the spot and a team from Thrissur Police Academy, headed by forensic expert Annamma John made on-the-spot examinations and collected evidences like finger prints.
 

A probe had already been on into the incident that took place on Saturday night. Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and senior police officials had visited the place. The probe by a special team was being headed by DySP D Unniraja of Aluva Police.
 

Spokespersons of the Church said that the place where both the churches stood was known for religious harmony. They appealed to people of the community not to get provoked by such incidents.

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