Dear Mr. Alphons Kannanthanam,

Great to see you elevated to the honourable position of the Central Tourism Minister, a purported gift of Onam Payasam from Mr. Narendra Modi to Keralites. And, not surprisingly, the fulfilment of your long cherished dream!

As a super-efficient bureaucrat your talents were noted by the BJP family and wrested you from your Christian and leftist moorings to be part of the Sang Parivar. But, you may soon realise that in Indian politics efficient bureaucracy and political daredevilry are, more often than not, two incongruous bedfellows.

While wishing you a merry-go-round tour in your possibly yearlong tourism ministry, it is intriguing to note that you have beatified your new mentor, Narendra Modi, as a good Christian in deed: ‘Modi is doing what a good Christian is supposed to do.’

Be sure to get a hundred point treat for your beatifying touch. Along with this clever advocacy, your agenda hidden under your sleeves, and intended by the Modi Parivar, is to perform the hat trick of converting the mind of Keralites towards the Sang Parivar world. More particularly, to charm the Kerala Church as if with the ‘Last Temptation of Christ.’

Mr. Kannanthanam, you may have been elated to see even some Church dignitaries edging towards the Onam Payasam. In a highly globalized diplomatic world, they may not be far behind in protecting the interests of their empire. Under the Indian Constitution they have every fundamental right to express their mind freely or hold their personal views. That apart, discerning Keralites may not swallow the Alphons-coated Sang-Parivar bait parcelled to Kerala just a few months before the General Election. One may fool some people all the time. But one cannot fool all the people all the time! Be sure of that Mr. Minister.

There was a time when the Church moulded you, shaped you, fashioned you as a seminarian in Meghalaya under Salesian patronage. Your Priestly candidature career spanned through minor seminary, philosophy and regency. Three years before you were to get ordained as a priest, you felt you were born for greater things. Wisely enough, you left the seminary portals. You cannot deny that, in the making of you as an efficient bureaucrat, it was the training and the value formation in the seminary that played a major part. Hence, it is difficult to believe your words: ‘I am a self-made man.’ You are in your right to express your opinion. Whatever that be, people who know ground realities cannot and will not swallow your bait: ‘Modi is doing what a good Christian is supposed to do.’

Perhaps those who live in ivory towers may swallow the bait. And, you may take advantage of it. But, Mr. Alphons, what is the ground reality? Do you know that, among all the Prime Ministers of India, Mr. Modi has received the most brick bats and mudslinging, even abuses, through social media, letters to editors, demonstrations etc. Why so? Being ‘a good Christian in deed?’ When people were lynched by freemason vigilantes under Sang Parivar patronage, where were you and your Guru? Is it the work of a good Christian to keep mum and go touring? Is buying cattle from the market or keeping meat at home a crime? Why hang or murder the buyers? Is it the work of a Christian to let these happen? If your Guru is suffused with Christian values and Christian spirit, why does he encourage anti-religion bills which deny freedom of religion guaranteed by the Indian Constitution? Why are his followers and bhakts destroying churches, mosques, or burning effigies of church dignitaries? Is it a Christian deed to preside over a fascist nationalist empire-building process where minorities have to be eliminated? Why are Sadhus and Sadvins spitting venom against other religious groups, Mr Alphons? Hitler’s Operation Ethnic Cleansing can never be forgotten! Come out of your ivory tower along with your Payasam consuming supporters.

It is an open market song that Modi has picked you to prepare the ground for the next general election. He wants to saffronize the Church. You are the handpicked go-between. Will you succeed? You may or may not. But, one thing I ask of you. Even if you and your Parivar are not able to do anything good in Kerala, don’t do any harm to the Church, that Alma mater that fed you as a priest candidate for almost six to eight years. Do not bite that hand that fed you.

One Last word! Do not be disappointed if Keralites send you to limbo at the next hustings! Good luck!

-P.A.Chacko