3 weeks ago
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In a significant development, the Believers Eastern Church has declared its support for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Anil K. Antony in Pathanamthitta. This marks the first instance of a church body in the State extending support to a BJP candidate.
According to a statement by the BJP candidate, the support was offered during a meeting led by church’s president Mathews Mar Silvanios Metropolitan at Thiruvalla on Monday. Fr. Sijo Panthappallil, the official spokesperson of the church, and other priests were present. Mr. Antony also addressed the meeting.
The church’s spokesperson was not available for comment despite multiple attempts.
The development, meanwhile, marks a significant turnaround in the relationship between the Thiruvalla-based church and the national party. The church for long had been been under the radar of the BJP-led government at the Centre for allegedly receiving foreign funds through the NGOs run by it.
In 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs barred the church and three NGOs associated with it from receiving foreign funds and cancelled their registrations under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act (FCRA) and in subsequent years, the church had also faced crackdowns by the central agencies such as the Income Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate.
