Narcotic Jihad: Case registered against Pala Bishop for 'promoting disharmony, enmity'

Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt
Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt

Kottayam: The Kuravilangad Police has registered a case against Pala Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt in connection with his controversial 'narcotic jihad' remark made at a church here in September.

Kottayam district police chief, Shilpa Dyavaiah told Onmanorama that they acted upon instructions from the magistrate court that had asked them to proceed with the complaint filed by the Imams Council that found the bishop's remarks objectionable.

The case has been registered under section Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 153A (offence of promoting disharmony, enmity or feelings of hatred between different groups on the grounds of religion, race etc) and 153B that pertains to making prejudicial references.

Bishop Kallarangatt had claimed the presence of narcotic jihad in addition to love jihad in Kerala, which he said was ruining non-Muslim youth.

The controversial statement had drawn widespread flak with the ruling party and the opposition Congress joining forces against the bishop.

Even Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had found the bishop's remarks distasteful and called for a voluntary apology from the senior clergyman of the Syro-Malabar Church.

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