New-generation Churches carrying out conversions: Union Minister

Union Minister of State George Kurian on Thursday said that the mainstream Churches in the country were not carrying out any conversions and it was the “new-generation Churches” which were doing it.

MR. Kurian, the Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, was responding to queries in connection with the arrest of two nuns in Chhattisgarh over alleged conversion and human trafficking.

The Minister said it was difficult for people to differentiate between the mainstream and new-generation Churches, and therefore, the BJP was taking steps to help create awareness about the two among the public. The new-generation Churches themselves have admitted that they were carrying out conversions.

On being asked whether conversions were wrong, Mr. Kurian said that “let the people of Kerala decide whether conversions were required. On whether the issue would create problems for the party in the southern State, which will see local body elections this year and Assembly elections in 2026, the Minister said it would depend on how well they can convince the people.

He said that the party was able to convince the people regarding the Manipur violence issue and, therefore, it got votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

On being told that many prominent Church priests have reportedly said that the BJP leaders need not come with “cakes” if the nuns arrest issue is not resolved, Mr. Kurian said that “they have the freedom to say so.”

Mr. Kurian said that Anoop Antony, the BJP’s Kerala general secretary, has been sent to Chhattisgarh to find a resolution for the issue and “good news was expected soon.”

The BJP leader also blamed the Congress and the Left for the accusations against the saffron party in cyberspace over the issue. He questioned why no Congress MP from Chhattisgarh was part of the protests by the grand old party against the nuns’ arrest.