A marked change has become discernible in the approach of the Catholic community towards the CPI(M)-led LDF and the Opposition UDF led by the Congress in Kerala following the meeting the three Cardinals had with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at New Delhi on Tuesday.

Deepika, the mouthpiece of the Catholic community, hitherto known for its vehement opposition to the BJP and the Sangh Parivar has lambasted the UDF and the LDF for their indifference towards the social and economic issues faced by the community.

An article in the editorial page authored by a Catholic priest blames the Lefts and the Rights for their callous attitude towards the Catholic community’s long pending demand for equity and inclusivity in the allocation of minority welfare fund. “The Muslims with their political influence hijack the funds mean for the Christian community in the State. Both the Congress-led UDF and the Communists-led LDF stand dumbfounded as Madrasas and other educational institutions owned by the Muslims walk away with the fund meant for minority welfare,” writes James Kockavayalil, the priest.

He said the appointment of Sachhar Committee to study the economic and social woes of the Muslims by the UPA Government was a wrong step. “There are other minorities in India like Christians, Jains, Sikhs, Budhists, Parsis. But what the UPA Government that came to power in 2004 did was to appoint the Sachchar Committee to study the issues faced by the Muslims. What a democratically elected Government should have done was to ask the Committee to undertake a study on the crisis and problems faced by all communities instead of showing special consideration to one community alone,” Kockavayalil’s chargesheet says.

The prist further states that despite the Kerala High Court directive asking the State Government to ensure division of the minority welfare fund based on the proportion of the population, the LDF Government has done nothingto implement it.

The article has also blamed both the LDF and the UDF for their callous response to the Centre’s decision to set apart 10 per cent reservation for the economically backward sections in the society. “Both the LDF and the UDF are afraid of the political clout of the Muslim League which is against any kind  of economic reservation.

According to the 2011 census, Muslim population in the State is 26.66 per cent while Christians constitute 18.38 per cent. If the resources are allocated based on the proportion of the population, Christians should get 40.9 per cent. But what is happening in Kerala is that the resources is allocated in a proportion of 80:20 whiuch means that Muslim walk away with 80 per cent of the funds while other minorities are left with just 20 per cent,” writes Kockavayalil.

The priest who enjoys the full confidence of the Bishop Council has strongly condemned the statements and actions of K T Jaleel, minister for higher education in the Pinarayi Vijayan led government. “But it is not fair to expect anything more than a person who is known for his Islamic fundamentalist ideology,” the article concludes.  

In yet another development, the bishop of Palakkadu, has asked the CPI State Secretary Kanam Rajendran to field Issac Varghese, a laity member, as candidate from Palakkadu or any seats allocated to the CPI in the district. The Bishop has written a letter to the CPI leader demanding the nomination of Varghese, an entrepreneur, as the party candidate.