The controversy ignited by a social media post from former Metropolitan Bishop Geevarghese Mar Coorilos about the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) massive defeat in the Lok Sabha elections and the sharp retort from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan intensified on Saturday, with leaders from various political backgrounds rallying in support of the prelate.
The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the Chief Minister’s alleged disparaging comments, citing them as further evidence of his imperiousness and intolerance toward criticism. The incident also appeared to put the ruling front in an awkward position, given the bishop’s reputation as a prominent figure within the influential Syrian Christian clergy to openly espouse liberal left politics.
‘Not ready’
Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan took strong exception to the Chief Minister’s remark, arguing that calling the prelate ignorant demonstrated that Mr. Vijayan was not ready for a course correction. “Is the bishop not free to criticise the government as a citizen?” Mr. Satheesan asked.
Mr. Satheesan suggested that the bishop was pointing out a significant deviation in Mr. Vijayan’s policies toward the extreme right. “It is clear from the Chief Minister’s words yesterday that he cannot accept criticism and does not want anyone to correct him,” he added.
Several other Congress leaders, including Ramesh Chennithala and Shafi Parambil, also voiced their support for the bishop.
BJP’s stand
Meanwhile, the BJP used the occasion to highlight what it alleged to be the Chief Minister and his party’s anti-Christian stance. “Mr. Vijayan has not changed a bit from the mental state in which he once called the Bishop of Thamarassery a wretched creature,” noted V. Muraleedharan, a senior BJP leader.
Mr. Muraleedharan also asked what actions the Communist Party of India (Marxist) had taken against a leader who made abusive remarks about the Christian community following the BJP’s victory in Thrissur.
BJP State president K. Surendran pointed to the Chief Minister’s response to the bishop as an example of double standards. “It is shocking to see the Chief Minister, who stood silent to scathing criticism from the Samasta leader Jifry Muthukoya Thangal and the Suprabhatam newspaper, terming a Christian bishop ignorant,” he said.
Remained silent
Amidst the heated debate, the bishop chose to remain silent. “I have already said what I have to, and it’s still there on my page. There is nothing more to add,” he told media persons. Regarding Mr. Vijayan’s remark, the priest stated that he had never reacted to personal remarks, and that was not going to happen ever. He also clarified that his support for the Left front remained unwavering.
Geevarghese Coorilos, former Metropolitan of the Niranam Diocese of the Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church, had remarked in a Facebook post that “floods and epidemics do not always come to the rescue, and people in Kerala will not fall more than once for ‘kit politics’.” In response, the Chief Minister on Friday stated that the priest’s post showed “that even among priests there are ignorant people.”
