BJP’s Kerala Christian Outreach Faces Backlash As VHP Accused Of Disrupting Christmas Celebrations In Palakkad

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) efforts to engage Kerala’s Christian community face growing challenges, exposing contradictions in its outreach strategy. On Christmas Eve, Yuhanon Meletius, Metropolitan bishop of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church’s Thrissur Diocese, criticised the BJP’s approach in a social media post. 

Referring indirectly to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) alleged disruption of Christmas celebrations at a Palakkad school, he noted that cribs depicting Jesus Christ’s nativity were “revered in some places and vandalised in others.”

The controversy centered on an incident at the Government UP School, Thathamangalam, Palakkad, where a Christmas manger created by students was destroyed. Police have launched an investigation, but the incident has fueled public anger and strengthened opposition criticism.

The remarks by the bishop came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a Christmas celebration hosted by the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India (CBCI) in New Delhi, where he praised Jesus Christ as a symbol of compassion and service. 

Despite these overtures, opposition parties, including the CPI(M) and Congress, have leveraged the Palakkad incident to challenge the BJP’s credibility, accusing it of pursuing divisive policies.

In response, activists from the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Youth Congress protested by singing carols and dressing as Santa Claus in Palakkad, underscoring public discontent.

Facing backlash, the BJP quickly attempted damage control. Union Minister George Kurien condemned the incident, and party workers reached out to Christian leaders and parishioners, delivering Christmas greetings from PM Modi.

Despite these efforts, the BJP’s attempts to balance Hindutva ideology with inclusive outreach face skepticism.