Delhi L-G’s visit to Kerala bishops a ‘blatant violation of MCC’: Oppn leader

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena

Kerala’s leader of Opposition, VD Satheesan, on Thursday, wrote to the Election Commission urging action against Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena for visiting heads of churches in the state to ‘lure’ them to support the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Lok Sabha polls.

“I am writing to invite your attention to the blatant violation of the model code of conduct by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena by visiting various church heads in Kerala to lure them to take a stance in favour of the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” Satheesan wrote in his letter to the Election Commission.

“It is learned that Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena, who is on a two-day visit to Kerala, requested an audience with the heads of the Syro Malabar Church, Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, and others… As per reports, leaders of some of the churches have declined to meet the Lieutenant Governor,” Satheesan added.

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He also pointed out that the LG is the constitutional head of a state and is restricted from engaging in any political activity.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena reportedly arrived on a two-day visit to Kerala on Wednesday. During his visit, the L-G met with Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil at Mount St Thomas at Kakkanad in Kochi, The New Indian Express said in a report.

“The meeting was not a political one. It was a courtesy call during which both of them discussed non-political topics,” TNIE quoted Antony Vadakekkara, public relations officer (PRO) of the Syro Malabar Church as saying.

He reportedly tried meeting with the heads of the Syro Malabar Church, Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, and others but was unable to.

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Recently, the BJP has been reaching out to the politically significant Christian communities in the state.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has been unable to win a seat from the state in the Lok Sabha elections until now. Kerala is set to vote on April 26 (Friday) in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections.

(With inputs from ANI)

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