The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not only shown support to the Kerala bishop’s remarks on alleged ‘Narco Jihad’ against non-muslims, they have even asked the Union government to frame a law on the matter.
The Kerala unit of the BJP wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah, asking the government “to prevent jihadi activities” and to provide protection to Palai bishop Joseph Kallarangatt and the Christian community,” the Indian Express reported.
“The intervention by Bishop, His excellency Joseph Kallarangatt of Pala, Kerala during sacred worship is not just a wakeup call for his dioceses, it is the voice of the community who are victims of love jihad and the fallout of narco-terrorism. The cases of love jihad and drug abuse victims are ramping up,” BJP spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said.
While addressing a religious congregation on September 8, at Marth Mariam Pilgrim Church at Kuravilangad in Kottayam district, bishop Joseph Kallarangatt said there are two kinds of jihad – “love jihad and narcotic jihad.”
He said Narcotic Jihad was the activity of spoiling the life of non-Muslims, particularly youths, by making them addicted to drugs and various types of drugs are being used in an ice-cream parlours, hotels, juice corners run by hardcore Jihadis.
“They (Muslims) are using various types of drugs as a weapon to spoil non-Muslims,” the bishop had said.
Bishop Kallarangatt, so far, has not offered any proof for his claim that such crimes exists, nor has the BJP. This was true even for the bogey of ‘love jihad’, but several BJP states went on and formulated laws against it, which have been used to harass interfaith couples in various states.
The bishop has also been criticized by the Kerala C.M. and the Opposition Congress members of the state.