By Nanditha Subhadra
The arrest of the two Kerala-based nuns in Chhattisgarh on July 25, 2025 (the nuns were later released on bail by a Bilaspur on August 2, 2025, after 9 days of incarceration) is likely to upset the BJP’s ambitiously managed electoral plans in Kerala. Two aged Catholic nuns from Kerala, Preeti Mary and Vandana Francis, were apprehended along with a tribal man, Sukhman Mandavion on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion. The arrests were prompted by allegations from Bajrang Dal activists and the incident has “visibly strained BJP’s relationship with the Christian community in Kerala, where the party has been actively courting the 19% Christian electorate ahead of local body polls in December 2025 and Assembly elections in 2026.”
By all indications the BJP in Kerala has been “strategically working to gain prominence in the state’s electoral politics by courting the Christian community”, which constitutes about 19% of Kerala’s population (roughly 61.41 lakh people) and holds significant influence in 33-35 of the state’s 140 assembly constituencies, particularly in central Kerala (Ernakulam, Kottayam, Idukki, and Pathanamthitta). The BJP, historically a marginal player in Kerala’s politics dominated by the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), has viewed the Christian vote as a critical component to expand its electoral footprint, especially after its breakthrough in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP’s victory in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat, led by Union Minister Suresh Gopi, was partly attributed to support from Christian voters, particularly the Syro-Malabar Catholic community. The party’s vote share rose from 12.4% in 2016 to 16.7% in the 2021 assembly elections and further in 2024, indicating growing acceptance among certain Christian denominations.
The BJP has been actively wooing Christian churches, including the Syro-Malabar Church, Orthodox Syrian Church, and Jacobite factions. For instance, promising to resolve the Munambam land dispute and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with Church leaders during Christmas events in 2023 and 2024 were calculated moves to build trust. The BJP had also effectively taken advantage of the Jacobite Syrian Christian community’s grievances over the 2017 Supreme Court verdict favoring the Orthodox faction in church disputes, positioning itself as a potential ally in contrast to the LDF and UDF.
But with the arrest of the nuns in Chhattisgarh, a state ruled by the BJP, on charges of human trafficking and alleged forced conversion, has strained the Party’s bussing relations with Christians in Kerala. “The incident, driven by Bajrang Dal allegations and supported by Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai’s statements, has created a trust deficit that could undermine the BJP’s electoral prospects” observes a senior journalist from Delhi who has been following the developments relating to the arrest.
The arrests have been widely condemned by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, the Syro-Malabar Church, and other Christian leaders as an act of persecution against minorities. The Syro-Malabar Church’s mouthpiece, Deepika, criticized the BJP’s “dichotomy” between its Kerala unit’s pro-Christian stance and the Sangh Parivar’s actions in BJP-ruled states. Deepika castigated “communal forces “ of holding India’s secular constitution “captive,” emphasizing the damage to the BJP’s image among Christians. The palpable anger among Catholic leaders like Felix J. Pulluden, who criticized Church leaders for aligning with the BJP, suggests a growing trust deficit. The incident has also ignited fear within the Christian community in Chhattisgarh, with nuns reporting an atmosphere of intimidation and restrictions on religious activities. This could further alienate a section of Christians who were beginning to view the BJP favorably, particularly in Kerala, where the party’s outreach had shown some success.
Christian leaders within the BJP, such as Kerala state general secretary Anoop Antony, Shon George and George Kurian are facing flak from the Church and followers. Kurian, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, faced criticism from Christian churches and related organizations in Kerala for his “relaxed” handling of the nuns’ incident in Chhattisgarh.
The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC), through its Commission for Social Harmony and Vigilance, expressed strong disapproval of Kurian’s silence and perceived. A statement from the KCBC, reported by a national English daily on July 30, 2025, described his stance as “shocking and disappointing,” particularly for not condemning the arrests of Sister Preeti Mary and Sister Vandana Francis, who were detained on charges of human trafficking and forced conversions. The KCBC highlighted that Kurian’s claim of being restricted by his constitutional position was inadequate, given his responsibility to address minority issues, especially in a case involving nuns from the Syro-Malabar Church.
Additionally, the Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC) and other Christian groups echoed similar sentiments, criticizing Kurian for not taking a proactive role in securing the nuns’ release or publicly supporting the community’s concerns. Posts on X, such as one from @vijaythottathil, further amplified this discontent, pointing out Kurian’s failure to unequivocally condemn the arrests while representing a ministry tasked with minority welfare. These criticisms from Christian bodies underscored a broader frustration with Kurian’s evasive approach, particularly as the incident unfolded in a BJP-ruled state, intensifying scrutiny of his alignment with the party’s stance over community expectations.
The Church leadership did not mince words in rebuking Union Minister Suresh Gopi for his silence on the arrest of the nuns. The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC), representing all 43 dioceses in the state, expressed dismay over Gopi’s lack of response, especially given his high-profile outreach to the Christian community during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where he won the Thrissur constituency with significant Christian support. Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, president of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, indirectly criticized Gopi by stating that the outcome of the nuns’ case would determine future relations with political entities, emphasizing that “all should practice what they preach”.
Mar Andrews Thazhath, the archbishop of Thrissur and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), called the arrests a “humiliating incident for Catholics,” implicitly questioning the silence of BJP leaders like Gopi, who had previously made symbolic gestures such as offering a golden crown at Thrissur’s Lourdes Cathedral. Fr. Paul Thelakat, former editor of Sathyadeepam and spokesperson for the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese, suggested that church leaders were cautious due to fears of repercussions from the BJP government, but the community’s frustration with Gopi’s silence was evident.
Social media posts were rampant mocking Gopi for his “holy theatrics” during elections while remaining silent when the nuns were “chained”, and post on X highlighted a bishop’s open mockery of Gopi for failing to address the persecution of the nuns despite relying on Christian votes. The criticism underscored a perceived betrayal, as Gopi’s silence contrasted with his earlier efforts to court the Christian vote, damaging the BJP’s outreach to the community in Kerala.
According to a political analyst, “Christian leaders in the BJP may be seen as complicit in this duality, especially since figures like Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath, who previously supported BJP candidate Suresh Gopi in Thrissur, are now vocal critics of the arrests. The community may question whether these leaders can genuinely represent Christian interests within a party accused of tolerating vigilantism and communal bias.”
The BJP, if it is serious to be in the electoral race in Kerala- a state dominated by two formidable political groups, the CPIM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (LDF), there needs to be serious and effective state leadership with proactive leaders. The party should shed arrogant, egoistic leaders and induct friendly, proactive young bloods who are responsive on issues critical to the party and the society. If the BJP is serious about effectively challenging the formidable LDF and UDF on the electoral front, it needs to wake up to the political reality of the state. Jettison the deadwoods from the organisation and take in positive brains. It is time, both the Central and state party leadership take note of the loud criticism from the Church and Christian community at large on the stoic silence from the two Union Ministers from Kerala, George Kurian and Suresh Gopi, on a sensitive issue – the arrest of two Christian Nuns in a BJP ruled state under non-bailable charges of Human Trafficking and Forced Religious Conversion.
