The Congress on Thursday asked the Election Commission to take action against Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena for meeting with the bishops of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Kerala a day before the Lok Sabha elections in the state, reported The Indian Express.
Saxena had arrived in Kerala on Wednesday. Among the bishops he met were the Church’s head Archbishop Raphel Thattil and Cardinal George Allencherry. He also met bishops of the Believers’ Church, the newspaper reported.
Kerala’s leader of Opposition VD Satheesan wrote to the poll body flagging what he described as a “blatant violation” of the Model Code of Conduct by Saxena. The Congress leader alleged that Saxena was trying to lure the the clergymen to adopt a favourable stance toward the Bharatiya Janata Party in the general elections.
Satheesan said that as a “constitutional head” of a state, the lieutenant governor is not permitted to engage in political activities.
“The Delhi Lieutenant Governor visiting various Church heads in Kerala just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to garner votes for the BJP is a blot on democracy and its founding values,” he said.
However, the public relations officer of the Syro Malabar Church, Father Antony Vadakekkara, said that the meeting with Saxena was a courtesy call and not a political one, reported The New Indian Express.
“Syro Malabar Church does not go as per the wishes of any political party,” Vadakekkara told the newspaper. “We have our own choices and decisions. Just because Saxena came and met with us doesn't mean that we will support BJP.”
Saxena’s office termed Satheesan’s allegation as baseless.
“While on his visit, owing to the fact that a prominent Church head and Church hospital had invited the Hon’ble Lt Governor, many other institutions, organisations and individuals requested for a meeting and audience with him and the same played out in the shape of various meetings as per mutual convenience,” Saxena’s office said.
The statement also said that the institutions, organisations and individuals were not all Christian.
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