Protest march to bishop house | Screengrab: Mathrubhumi News
Kottayam: The Muslim Coordination Committee has organised a protest march against Syro Malabar Church Pala diocese bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt over his ‘narcotic jihad’ remark here on Friday. Over 200 people participated in the march to the bishop house. But police stopped them with barricades.
Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt on Thursday triggered a controversy, saying Christian girls were largely falling prey to "love and narcotic jihad" in Kerala and wherever arms cannot be used, extremists were using such methods to destroy the youth belonging to other religions.
Addressing devotees during a church celebration at Kuravilangad in Kottayam, the Bishop said as part of the "love jihad", non-Muslim girls, especially those belonging to the Christian community are largely being converted after trapping them in love and being exploited and misused for destructive activities like terrorism.
Muslim outfits expressed strong disapproval against the statement of Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt and alleged that it was meant to create a communal divide in Kerala society. The Kottayam Mahallu Muslim Coordination Committee has lodged a complaint before the district police chief on the grounds of the controversial statement. PDP is also organising a march to the Bishop’s house.
However, BJP state chief K Surendran came out supporting the bishop, saying that what he had said was a "serious issue" which the society should discuss and analyse. Surendran alleged that 'narcotic jihad' is a reality in the state and those who are being arrested in connection with rave parties in Kerala have close links with terrorist networks.
(with inputs from PTI)
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