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COVER STORY: ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 2001
Kerala
Secular Stakes
Even as the CPI(M) ropes in a priest to woo minorities,
the Church makes a blatant move to play a political role
By M.G. Radhakrishnan in Wyanad
"Easomisihaakku Sthuthiyaayirikkatte
(Praise Lord Jesus)."
Father Mathai Nooranal
utters the customary greeting as he runs into an elderly nun at the Bethany
Convent in Sultan Bathery in Kerala's Wyanad district. The nun promptly
returns the greeting but is surprised to see the crowd of unusual visitors
accompanying the vicar. They are all carrying huge red flags with the
hammer and sickle emblazoned on them. The emblem is the "symbol of
Satan" which they have been taught to hate since birth. The father
smilingly requests the nun to call the other inmates. Perplexed, the nuns
come out in ones and twos. "I know you are surprised that I have
joined these atheists. But they are atheists no more and are the best
protectors of minorities," says Nooranal.
Elections in Kerala have seen several firsts
but this time the ruling CPI(M) has created history by fielding a Christian
priest as its candidate-73-year-old Nooranal, the vicar of St Mary's Church-for
the Sultan Bathery assembly seat. He had absolutely no leftist connections
until the elections were announced. On the contrary, he was a known Congress
fellow traveller. The church he belongs to-the Syrian Orthodox-as indeed
most other denominations in the state, have traditionally been anti-communist
and pro-Congress. The vicar has not even had links with the small group
of pro-Left liberation theologists of Kerala.
Why then this sudden tectonic shift? The decision
to field Nooranal follows the CPI(M)'s attempts to woo the minorities
which constitute more than 42 per cent of Kerala's population. So far,
Christians, who form 20 per cent of the state's population, and Muslims
(22 per cent) have overwhelmingly voted against the Left (see chart).
"The vicar's candidature proves our commitment to the minorities,"
says Pinarayi Vijayan, the CPI(M) state secretary.
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| FATHER FIGURE: Fr
Nooranal on the campaign trail |
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Though he has steered clear of overt politics,
Nooranal is no novice to public life. Founder of many educational institutions
in tribal Bathery, he has been the president of the local cooperative
bank for 40 years. "In the past, we could never ally with the communists
as they were anti-religion and anti-God. But today they have changed and
are on church and temple committees," says Nooranal. The priest also
cites Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar's trip to the Vatican last year and
his audience with Pope John Paul II. "If the holy Pope could bless
him and present him a rosary, why can't I ally with him?"
Though the Christian churches and clergy have
always backed the Congress and the Christian-dominated Kerala Congress
in all previous elections, what raised eyebrows this time was the church's
open attempts to make a direct entry into politics. The Thrissur archdiocese
of the Syro Malabar church, the state's most powerful Catholic group,
recently issued an extraordinary notice to the UDF, stating that it should
be consulted during the selection of its candidates in Thrissur district.
"We have always supported the UDF and have
a right to nominate those whom we believe will help us," says Monsignor
Paul Kakkassery, the diocese's spokesman. The resultant furore led to
several church groups openly dissociating themselves from the statement.
Congress leader and former chief minister K. Karunakaran was unusually
bold in questioning the diocese's move. Expectedly, the UDF, riven as
it was by internal battles for seats, did not care to consult the diocese.
This has left the church leaders seething with
rage. "They didn't consult us and now the people will give a fitting
answer," said a priest. Chief minister aspirant A.K. Antony of the
Congress tries to make light of the issue. "Everybody has a right
to make demands during election time." The man who is widely expected
to lead the UDF to victory obviously does not want to ruffle any more
feathers on election eve.
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