If the CPM had rattled the Christian bishops by ridiculing their participation in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Christmas dinner, the party seems to have used the Christmas feast thrown by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday to make peace with the outraged clergy.
In addition to placating the Christian spiritual leaders, the LDF government scored yet another political victory through the CM's X'Mas-New Year feast. Muslim League MP P V Abdul Wahab drove in to grace the occasion. Wahab was one of the first guests to arrive. This would be embarrassing for the UDF as there was an unwritten understanding that the UDF leaders and people's representatives would stay away from the CM's feast.
Nonetheless, the big gain for the CPM would be the enthusiastic participation of priests representing major Christian denominations. Culture minister Saji Cherian seems to have withdrawn his disparaging remarks against the bishops just in the nick of time. It was just a day ago, on January 2, that Kerala Catholic Bishops Conference president Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis threatened non-cooperation with the state government till the minister withdrew his remarks. Cardinal Cleemis was among the top prelates who arrived for the CM's Christmas feast.
The Cardinal was also seen having a warm chat with minister Saji Cherian. The other senior prelates, too, were seen interacting with Saji Cherian.
On December 31, Saji Cherian had ridiculed bishops who had attended the PM's Christmas dinner on December 25. "Certain bishops had special goosebumps when BJP leaders called. This abundance of goosebumps propelled some to travel to Delhi. They had cake and grape-fermented wine. Sang hosanas and returned," the minister said at a function at Punnapra in Alappuzha. "Did any of these bishops utter a word about the Prime Minister's silence when hundreds of Christians were massacred in Manipur? Do they have the courage to speak out? They don't," he said.
The KCBC reacted with great anguish. "The minister should take into account his position while making such comments," its spokesperson Father Jacob Palackappally said. "It seems like the leaders of the CPM pick words from the same dictionary. It even looks like they carry the same dictionary to their party classes. There is nothing more to be expected from such people," Fr Palackappally said, indirectly recalling the harsh epithet ('nikrishtajeevi' - wretched creature) Pinarayi Vijayan once used to describe a bishop.
The party swiftly went into damage control mode. CPM state secretary M V Govindan said that Saji Cherian's remarks would be examined. And on January 2, Saji Cherian met the press and in the most remorseless fashion withdrew three words that he "supposed" could have caused distress to the priests. Cake, wine and goosebumps. He withdrew "goosebumps" only later when a reporter specifically asked him about it.
Otherwise, Saji Cherian said that he firmly stood by his opinion that the priests had failed to communicate their disapproval of the Prime Minister's indifference to the sufferings of Christians in Manipur. Cherian repeated that the priests did not have the courage or conviction to speak out their minds. When it was pointed out that the bishops had earlier taken up the issue directly with the Prime Minister, Cherian swallowed his words. "It is not my case that they had not spoken about the issue. My point was that they should have expressed their dismay at the Christmas dinner, too," he said.
However, the participation of the Christian clergy at the CM's Christmas feast is still not an indication that the Saji Cherian episode has been given a peaceful burial. On Wednesday, Malankara Orthodox Diocese head Yuhanon Mar Diascoros Metropolitan said in no uncertain terms that the church would attend dinners even in future if the centre and states invite. "We don’t differentiate between political parties,” he said. “If anyone makes any comment without understanding Christians, it is not our fault but theirs," he said, offering proof that the wounds opened by Saji Cherian would take more time to heal.
