In Kerala's Kochi, PM Modi To Meet Christian Community Leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet the representatives of eight Christian groups in Kerala's Kochi this evening in what is being seen as the BJP's big push to woo the community ahead of next year's general elections.

This is the Prime Minister's second interaction with the community leaders in less than three weeks - the last occasion was on Easter, when he visited Delhi's Sacred Heart Cathedral, interacted with the community and planted a tree. 

In the party's last national executive, PM Modi had made a strong case for reaching out to the marginalized sections and the minorities.  

Sources have indicated that the BJP's outreach is part of its nationwide efforts to showcase itself as a more inclusive force and this has already paid dividends in the northeast, where a chunk of the population belongs to the Christian community.  

Sources, however, said efforts to cultivate the Christian community started during Amit Shah's tenure as the party chief. 

In Kerala, the party had made big plans to reach out to the Christians and Muslims during Easter and Eid, after drawing a blank in the last assembly election despite its high-pitched agitation on the Sabarimala issue.  

On Easter, BJP leaders had visited Christian homes in Kerala - a move that had drawn derisive statements from the state's opposition Congress. They also had a breakfast meeting with representatives of the community. 

In Kerala, Christians and Muslims comprise 46 per cent of the population and getting their support is crucial to crack into a state dominated by the binary politics of the Left and the Congress. 

Sources have indicated that the timing might be right for the BJP to move in this direction, building on the alleged "disenchantment" of the Christian community with the ruling Left Front. The recent change of camp by Anil Anthony, son of Congress veteran AK Anthony, is seen as an indicator of the change of mood. 

The Christian community is also seen as responding, with several prominent pastors issuing pro-BJP statements. 

Earlier this month, a bishop of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church said the view that the Christian community is persecuted in India is an "unnecessary propaganda" unleashed internationally by vested interests.  

"There may be some resentments here and there. It should be dealt with legally," added Geevarghese Mar Yulios, who earlier made headlines with his comment that that PM Modi cannot be blamed for all the internal issues reported in the country. 

The Kerala Congress said while the right-wing groups have been attacking Christians across the country, they are trying to woo the members of that community in Kerala. 

"There is a rise in the number of attacks on Christians... In a petition filed before the Supreme Court, the community has said that 598 churches were attacked... Recently, a BJP minister from Karnataka has asked his followers to beat up Christians," said Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly V D Satheesan. Christians, he added, understand the "hypocrisy of the BJP".