Mon Jul 14 07:41:19 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
An editorial published in Deepika, the official mouthpiece of the Catholic Church in Kerala, criticizes the BJP’s alleged double standards on Christian persecution. While the BJP attempts to gain support from the Christian community in Kerala, the editorial highlights the increasing attacks against Christians in other parts of India and the party’s alleged enabling of anti-Christian sentiment. The editorial points to recent events in Maharashtra, including cash rewards offered for attacking priests and the proposal for a strict anti-conversion law, as examples of this hypocrisy. The piece ends by calling on the BJP to clarify its stance on minorities before seeking support from Christians.
**News Article:**
**Kerala Church Accuses BJP of “Double Standards” on Christian Persecution Amid Kerala Election Push**
**KOTTAYAM, July 14, 2025** – As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ramps up efforts to gain support from the Catholic community in Kerala ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, the Church in Kerala has voiced strong concerns about the party’s alleged “double standards” regarding Christian persecution.
An editorial published today in Deepika, the official mouthpiece of the Catholic Church in Kerala, titled ‘Applauding the hunter while patting the prey?’, accuses the BJP of promoting contradictory narratives. The editorial highlights the increasing number of attacks against Christians across India, noting that while BJP leaders in states like Goa and Kerala present themselves as allies of the community, the party is allegedly enabling the persecution of Christians in northern States, Odisha and Maharashtra.
The editorial specifically points to developments in Maharashtra, where a BJP MLA has reportedly promised cash rewards for individuals who attack Catholic priests and missionaries. It also cites the State Revenue Minister’s plans to introduce a stringent anti-conversion law, creating “deep fear and anxiety” among Christians in the state.
The article argues that the BJP’s political strategy involves escalating majoritarian dominance while simultaneously eroding India’s democratic pluralism. It notes a significant rise in violence against Christians between 2014 and 2024, citing a United Christian Forum report indicating 834 attacks in 2024 alone, compared to 127 in 2014.
“Before seeking the support of the Christian community, the BJP must first end its double standards and bring clarity to its stance on minorities,” the editorial concludes. The criticism comes in the wake of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent assertion that the BJP is preparing to take over power in Kerala in 2026, raising questions about the party’s approach to minority communities.
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