Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on Wednesday, took a dig at controversial Catholic bishop in the state, Joseph Kallarangatt, over the latter’s "love and narcotic jihad" remarks saying those who create unwanted controversies about "love jihad" and "narcotic jihad" have no factual backing.
Kallarangatt had said recently that Christian girls were falling prey to the alleged love and narcotic jihad in Kerala and wherever arms cannot be used, extremists were using such methods to destroy the youth.
The chief minister said the concern that there are forced conversions from Christianity to Islam in the state is not true.
Vijayan further said since 2018, a special branch of the state police has been running de-radicalisation programmes in the state for youth. "Some youth, who were influenced by ISIS ideas, were de- radicalised and brought back to mainstream. Counter radicalisation programmess are being run successfully," the chief minister said.
On Tuesday, the chief minister had said Kerala is a firm terrain of secularism and society would take strong stand against those who try to upset it.
He said the statements of the bishop were not taken seriously. ""Not many people stood by it. This is Kerala, a firm terrain of secularism. Nobody should think that this can be upset. The society will take a firm stand against this kind of move from whichever quarter that come,” the chief minister added.
