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The Syro-Malabar Church, the largest Christian denomination in Kerala, has added weight to the allegations of Hindutva forces that Hindu and Christian communities in Kerala are facing the threat of love jihad. It said that love jihad "“is a reality and the Islamic State (IS) has engaged Muslim men to feign love and lure scores of Christian women from Kerala to be used in terror activities”".

This was asserted at the Church’s Synod (bishop's’ council meeting) in Kochi on January 15. Love jihad, also called Romeo jihad, a theory propounded by right-wing forces, involves Muslim men targeting women belonging to other communities for conversion to Islam and engaging them in terrorist activities by feigning love. The Synod, chaired by the Church’'s head. Cardinal George Alencherry, also accused the Kerala police of complacency in this matter. It said there were circumstances in which Christian girls were killed in the name of love jihad. This, it said, was causing disturbance to communal amity and it was a matter of concern that it was gaining ground in Kerala.

The Synod'’s statement has come at an inconvenient time for Muslim outfits and the state government, both of which have joined hands in the fight against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The Synod'’s stand has surprised everyone as the Church is known for treading cautiously on such slippery turf. While referring to a police record, the Synod said that out of 21 people who were recruited by the IS in recent years, half were converted from the Christian faith and it should be an eye-opener for the community.

In fact, it has been alleged that several hundred Hindu and Christian girls were trapped and converted to Islam through love jihad since 2009. But the Synod found that it had become a serious matter only now. It said that it would sensitise parents and ‘children about the dangers of love jihad.

The Kerala police reacted predictably to the Synod’'s allegation. While it denied complacency in probing these cases, DGP Loknath Behera told mediapersons that the police was monitoring the situation. “"There is no data to hint at the existence of love jihad. I haven'’t received any complaint so far. If there is any complaint, we will monitor it",” he said. The vice-chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, George Kurian, has written a letter to Behera seeking a report within 21 days.

Meanwhile, a section of priests under Alencherry are questioning him for making such a public statement about love jihad. A group of priests of the Ankamali-Ernakulam archdiocese have also decided to write to the permanent members of the Synod demanding a clarification on its stand. Their complaint is that the Synod took a public posture on love jihad without consulting the laity. "“It will affect six million believers of the church",” Father Kuriakose Mundadan, secretary of the Presbyteral Council of the archdiocese, said. “"It was inappropriate and imprudent for the bishops to have made a statement linking love jihad and Christian women",” he said. Fr Jose Vallikodath, another senior member of the Presbyteral Council, also expressed strong opposition to the Synod’'s stand.

State Finance Minister TM Thomas Isaac said that the allegations of the bishops have “"no factual basis"” as government investigations had found nothing. "“If there are concrete cases or allegations, they will definitely be looked into. But the Kerala government does not believe that there is any basis for such generalisation,"” he told reporters in the state capital.

Which organization according to the passage has supported Synod’s stand

A) Vice President, National Committee of Minorities

B) The police

C) The Finance Minister

D) Not mentioned in the passage