Church Leader Calls for Action Against Rising Religious Violence

Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, leader of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, urged authorities to curb religious fanaticism and condemned recent attacks on Christians in India. Emphasizing constitutional rights, he warned that inaction could be perceived as approval, while echoing concerns about minority persecution.

Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, the Supreme Head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, has called on governing authorities to take decisive action against religious fanatics amid a spate of attacks on Christians across India. Speaking at a church event in Karukachal, Marthoma condemned the violence and highlighted the urgent need for religious tolerance.

He criticized organizations such as Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, linked to the RSS, alleging their involvement in attacks against religious minorities. Mathews stressed that India's constitution provides for the freedom of religion and equal rights for all faiths, rejecting any notion of religious supremacy. He warned that governmental silence may be viewed as tacit approval of such acts.

Prominent Christian leaders and political alliances like the UDF and LDF also condemned the violence, calling for government intervention. In response, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar met with Mathews to discuss the concerns, indicating political acknowledgment of the issue.