Love & Narcotic Jihads; Stereotypes to Demolish the Secular Fabric of Kerala

It can only be said as racial poisoning upon Muslim Community that Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt on September 9 at a religious function, allegedly stated that Non-Muslim girls were falling prey to 'Love and Narcotic Jihads' and were being largely converted and Islamic Extremists are trying to forcibly convert them using these methods in Kerala. The bishop has made several baseless allegations that narcotic jihad is taking place in Kerala along with Love Jihad, mysterious moves are prepared to spread drugs and narcotics among Catholic youths by Extremists and Jihadi groups aim to eliminate and root out all Non-Muslims. Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt was not bothered about his prestigious position that has a strong influence among the community while he was reading the communal poisonous message from the Holy Altar, not regarding its aftermaths.

On the basis of what evidence did the Bishop release such vulgar and toxic sentences upon the Muslim Community on the Feast of the Eighth Lent, the Holy day of the Christians? If a Catholic woman or young man is addicted to drugs and narcotics, he should have called a meeting of Christian leaders and Church officials to discuss the issue. It is not known whether Joseph Kallarangad called a meeting of the leaders of the Catholic Church and discussed the matter. Instead, he intended to put whole Muslims in the dock.

 The government should ask Mar Joseph Kallarangad, who preached Islamophobia, Anti-Muslimism and hate of religion without any shyness and responsibility at the Holy Altar, to produce evidence of his poisoning communal allegations. Or the Chief Minister of state Pinarayi Vijayan, who is also in charge of the Home Department, should approach the issue seriously and have the courage to arrest and take drastic actions against these kinds of deliberate moves to create misunderstandings and stereotypes on a community and to make sectarian tensions between the two religions, rather than confining in only condemning and denying his statement.

 If the Government does not take actions against these clergies who are trying to make communal poisons and divisive statements, it will have wide-ranging consequences and weaken the Secular fabric of Kerala society. As long as there is no strong criticism from all sections of people against it, these kinds of poisonous statements will continue to flow out of the Altars of the Churches. The government does not need any special legal bits of advice to know whether it is a criminal offence or not, to divide society by telling lies without the backing of evidence.

The Catholics have been embracing the Anti-Muslim Propaganda of the Sangh Parivar for at least a decade. Falling Church leaders as prey to the trap of Sangh Parivar, will create a dangerous situation in Kerala. 'Love Jihad' was part of a hate campaign against Muslims that Sangh Parivar had started. The allegation of misinterpretation of love marriages between different religions taking place across the country has not been proved in any way, and neither the country's investigative agencies nor the central and state governments have been able to find a crime called 'Love Jihad'. Central Home Department, National  Commission for women, Minorities Department and Human Rights Commission had also denied this Love Jihad allegation. But, Sangh Parivar continued the implementation of communal agendas with the help of some Christians when they failed the first time to spread this untruth accusation. The first to fall was PC George, who was expelled from two major political fronts. All of them played a major role in making fabricated Love Jihad allegations once again in the mainstream of Kerala. But it still makes wonder that why Christians couldn't realize the mysterious agenda of Sangh Parivar to make clashes between two communities that face the threat of genocide under the BJP Government. It's crystal clear that it was part of Sangh Parivar's agenda, that is why all BJP leaders and other Saffron Associations had strongly supported Bishop's statement.

The same Bishop had issued a controversial circular last July offering financial assistance to couples who have more than four children. Despite the fact that this proclamation openly challenges the national population policy of the country, no BJP leader has spoken out against it because they do not see the bishop as separate from themselves. What does make them worry about population, is nothing other than the growth of the Muslim community both educationally and economically. According to the last census, the population of Kerala is 33 Million. Of these, 54.73%,26.56% and 18.38 % are Hindus, Muslims and Christians respectively. According to the mind of the Church, only the Muslim population is growing and others are declining. That's why all these plaints and wails.

There are some other issues also that Church Leadership is currently under the vail of allegations of financial corruption and irregularities. Few groups of faithful clergy, have also come out against it. It led them to accuse 'Narcotic Jihad' against Muslims to divert public attention from such issues and also to escape from the investigations of Central Agencies through pleasing the Sangh Parivar with Anti-Muslimism.

Before concluding, let's take a glance at what Islam says about Narcotics and drugs. The use of drugs and narcotics, is strictly prohibited and forbidden in Islam and sees as dirty and satanic habits. Through this, it can be easily realized that it is very paradoxical to convert anyone to Islam forcefully using narcotics which strongly prohibits the use of narcotics. Sayed Jifri Muthukkoya Thangal, The President of Samastha (The prominent Sunni Scholars Association in Kerala) has undoubtedly cleared and rebutted Bishop's statement saying that there is no 'Love Jihad' in Islam and Islam doesn't have a jihad to influence people from other communities for religious conversion. If anybody is found indulging in such activities, they will not get any religious support.

In Conclusion, The 'Love and Narcotic Jihads’ are mere illusions and stereotypes created by Sangh Parivar to create hate of Islam and strict actions should be taken by the Government against these kinds of heinous acts.

(The opinions expressed within the content are solely the author's)