Prominent Indian newspaper calls out ruling party for seeking Christian support while ignoring rising persecution

A prominent Catholic newspaper in India’s Kerala state recently criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for having “double standards,” as the party seeks Christian support in Kerala while ignoring persecution in other parts of the country.

The criticism came in a July 14 editorial by Deepika, a Malayalam-language daily backed by the local Catholic Church, UCA News reported. The paper criticized the BJP’s silence on growing attacks against Christians across India and simultaneous pursuit of political favor in Kerala.

The editorial followed remarks by Home Minister Amit Shah, who visited Kerala just days earlier and declared the BJP’s intention to form the next state government after the 2026 elections. 

According to UCA News, the BJP has gained ground nationally but struggled to win support in Kerala, where it currently holds no state legislature seats. Christians make up about 18% of Kerala’s population of 33 million, giving them substantial electoral influence in that area compared with in northern Indian states, where their numbers remain small. 

Deepika argued that this disparity has shaped the BJP’s tone, portraying friendliness in Christian-majority regions while ignoring their plight elsewhere.

The editorial brought attention to serious concerns, including a recent incident in Maharashtra, where a BJP legislator reportedly offered rewards for violence against Christian clergy. 

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The newspaper described a rising atmosphere of fear and cited a troubling increase in attacks on Christians since Modi took office in 2014. It noted over 4,300 incidents nationwide during the past decade, with more than 800 occurring in the current year alone — up from 127 in 2014.

CatholicVote documented a string of recent assaults, including a violent attack on priests inside a police station in Madhya Pradesh, a police raid at a parish in Odisha and subsequent assault on clergy and schoolgirls, and escalating attacks in Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh under the cover of anti-conversion laws.

Political observers in Kerala say the recent editorial reflects mounting frustration among Church leaders, according to UCA News. Suresh Kumar P.C., a political analyst based in Kerala, described Deepika’s criticism as a “a major setback to BJP’s Christian outreach programs in a state,” and said it captures the general sentiment among Indian bishops. 

>> Religious persecution hotline: Christians in India are attacked twice a day <<

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