The unit of Kerala Congress has issued an apology to the Christian community following objections from the BJP over a social media post regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Pope Francis at the G7 Summit.
The controversy erupted after the state Congress shared a photo of PM Modi meeting Pope Francis, captioned, “Finally, the Pope got a chance to meet God.”
Union Minister and BJP leader George Kurian condemned the post, describing it as disrespectful to the Christian community. He criticized Congress for equating PM Modi with Lord Jesus, which he deemed inappropriate and offensive.
State BJP chief K Surendran also denounced the Congress post, accusing the party of mocking the Pope and hurting Christian sentiments. He questioned the involvement of senior Congress leaders like AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, as well as Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, in supporting such actions.
In response to the backlash, the Kerala Congress issued a formal apology, asserting that disrespecting any religion goes against its principles. The party clarified that it respects all religions and aims to foster harmony among people of different faiths.
“The Indian National Congress has a longstanding tradition of upholding religious tolerance and unity among all communities. We deeply regret any distress caused to the Christian community by the said post,” the statement from Kerala Congress read.
ഒരു മതത്തെയും മതപുരോഹിതന്മാരെയും ആരാധനാമൂർത്തികളെയും അപമാനിക്കുകയും അവഹേളിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നത് ഇന്ത്യൻ നാഷണൽ കോൺഗ്രസിന്റെ പാരമ്പര്യമല്ലെന്ന് ഈ നാട്ടിലെ ജനങ്ങൾക്ക് മുഴുവനും അറിയാം. എല്ലാ മതങ്ങളെയും വിശ്വാസങ്ങളെയും ചേർത്ത് പിടിച്ച് സൗഹാർദ്ദപരമായ അന്തരീക്ഷത്തിൽ ജനങ്ങളെ മുന്നോട്ടു… pic.twitter.com/Jg7HBh9BMw
— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) June 16, 2024
The apology emphasized that no Congress member intended to insult the Pope, revered by Christians worldwide. It also expressed regret if the post had caused emotional or psychological harm to any individual.
The incident underscores the sensitivity surrounding religious sentiments in India’s political discourse, highlighting the need for responsible communication and respect for diverse beliefs.
