A brutal attack on a Christian pastor in Odisha has stirred strong reactions in Kerala, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemning the incident. Vijayan criticized the act of forcing the pastor to consume cow dung as deeply inhumane and part of a broader assault on India’s secular values. He pointed fingers at BJP-led governments for enabling such violence and accused Sangh Parivar groups of spreading hatred.
The Chief Minister drew parallels to the 1999 murder of missionary Graham Staines, emphasizing the ongoing threat posed by intolerant forces. Vijayan highlighted a systematic attack on constitutional democracy in India and called for united opposition against communal politics. AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal MP also demanded the immediate arrest of those involved in the Odisha assault.
Venugopal, in letters to the Union Home Minister and Odisha Chief Minister, identified nearly 40 Bajrang Dal activists as the perpetrators of the attack. He condemned the assault on the pastor, which included humiliation, forced consumption of cow dung, and chanting of religious slogans. Venugopal warned against vigilante violence targeting minorities, emphasizing the erosion of religious freedom and pluralism.
Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala labeled the incident as barbaric and cruel, expressing concern over the targeting of minorities by Sangh Parivar forces under BJP government protection. Chennithala stressed the importance of upholding the constitutional right to practice one’s faith and called for strict punishment for the attackers. The unified statements from Vijayan, Venugopal, and Chennithala reflect a rare alignment of political voices from Kerala, denouncing the Odisha assault as a threat to India’s secular principles.
As calls for accountability and justice intensify, the incident renews focus on religious freedom, minority rights, and the government’s duty to safeguard constitutional values.
