Kerala Bishop Advocates for Church's Voice Amid Political Discourse

A Catholic bishop in Kerala, Mar Joseph Kallarangatt, emphasizes that the Church should not remain silent against insults and unrealistic neutrality. His statement follows controversy over comments by BJP leaders against church leaders and a Church-run daily. He also encourages church participation in politics while insisting on maintaining respect for religious sentiments.

A leading Catholic bishop in Kerala, Mar Joseph Kallarangatt, has made it clear that the Church will not remain indifferent to insults and cannot always maintain neutrality. His statement, made during a recent address, challenges the perception of clergy as passive observers.

These comments follow criticism by BJP leaders P C George and Shone George against certain church figures and the Church's daily, Deepika. The bishop emphasized that degrading the Church's leadership for media attention is unacceptable, highlighting the need for respect in discussions.

While the BJP views certain church leaders' political expressions as fair targets for critique, Shone George clarified his stance, attributing disagreements to personal opinions rather than the Church's policy. The bishop also noted that the Church welcomes political engagement from its members.

(With inputs from agencies.)