BJP Man Behind Helpline to Save Kerala Christians From Love Jihad

The BJP member claimed that Christian priests had supported the initiative, but they were unwilling to admit to it.

BJP’s Renjith explained that ‘love jihad’ is a threat in central and northern Kerala, where Christian girls easily become victims. (Photo: The Quint)

“Christian group in Kerala launches helpline to save ‘their’ girls from Muslim boys”, screams one headline. Another reads, “Xian group helpline to curb inter-religious affairs”.

While several media outlets last week published reports that a Christian helpline was launched in Kerala to prevent ‘love jihad’, what those news reports failed to highlight was that the initiative was envisioned by Kerala BJP Minority Morcha member Renjith Abraham Thomas, who is the former Malappuram district secretary of the outfit.

Similar to the Hindu helpline launched by the Sangh Parivar earlier, the Christian helpline, that is now active, will have a permanent office in Ernakulam from July.

Speaking to The News Minute, Renjith stressed that the initiative is linked to the BJP Minority Morcha unit in Kerala, and that members of the Hindu helpline would help execute the Christian helpline.

While the helpline comes weeks after the Kerala High Court annulled the marriage of a Muslim man to a Hindu girl, who converted to Islam, Renjith explained that ‘love jihad’ is a threat in central and northern Kerala, where Christian girls easily become victims and are later recruited into terror outfits like the Islamic State.

This is a serious issue. Not only Christian girls, but Hindu girls also fall prey to ‘love jihad’. Actually, they are more in number. We have collected all details on how these boys trap the girls. They use some similarities of Muslim religion with Christianity and trap them. Students of Malappuram nursing and medical colleges get trapped in this love jihad a lot of times.

Renjith Abraham Thomas

The BJP Minority Morcha leader points to the case of missing Kerala youth, who had left for Syria to join IS in 2016. Few of those who went missing were Christian girls who converted to Islam after falling in love with Muslim boys and ended up marrying them.

Christian Groups Unwilling to Admit to Supporting The Initiative

While Renjith claimed that some Christian priests had lent support to the initiative, they were unwilling to admit it openly.

Almost seven Catholic priests and pastors from Indian Pentacost Church have extended their support, but they cannot admit it openly as they are scared. Almost 18 Christian churches have contacted us. All Christian groups are joining hands against this. Even Christian parents need such a system to help these girls

Renjith Abraham Thomas

He also alleged that in Kannur, a lot of Christian girls are mysteriously being converted to Islam. “In Kannur, Malappuram, Idukki and in Thrissur also, we have spotted a lot of such cases. Through this helpline, we will appoint people to counsel the girls who fall prey to it. We also hope the priests will support us in religious counselling sessions,” he said.

Renjith said Mathews Mar Gregorious, the Metropolitan of Indian Orthodox Independent Syrian church, is the patron of the helpline.

Speaking to The News Minute, the Metropolitan said that he had offered to provide support and advice to the mission, but he has certain limitations.

They have approached me seeking advice and suggestions, I have offered to do that. But I can’t do anything more as I am under a church. I have come to know about a few cases where Christian girls got married to Muslims, I have acted against it

Mathews Mar Gregorious, the Metropolitan of Indian Orthodox Independent Syrian church

However, Kerala Syro Malabar Church spokesperson Jimmy Poochakkat told The News Minute that they have no information about any such helpline.

“We are not associated with the organisation and we have no idea about it,” said Poochakkat.

(This article was originally published in The News Minute)

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