In a recent political exchange, Communist MP John Brittas faced fierce criticism from Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai, over his alleged disdain for Hinduism.
Speaking at the India Today Conclave South, CPI-M Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala John Brittas insulted the historic Sengol and called Hindu sanyasis as “powerless clowns”.
“Sardar Patel.. he did away with all this Sengol, Simhasan (throne), crown, powerless clowns, powerless jyotishts (astrologers). All this have been brought back to Indian politics after 75 years. Is that what the country wants now? What do these Sanyasis have to do with the Parliament? Are they representatives of India? Have they ever voted in an election? What nonsense is happening in this country?” he had said.
But this is not the first time John Brittas has made such provocative statements. In 2019, he made headlines when he said “Christianity was in Kerala before Hindu Brahmins came. It’s indigenous to Kerala.”
In an interview to Kairali TV of which is the Managing Director, he said “Christianity indigenous to Kerala. I’ve studied about it a little. What we see today as Hinduism in Kerala, long before that Christianity came to Kerala. Christianity came to Kerala in 1st or 2nd century AD. Hindu Brahmins came much later in 7th or 8th century.”
Christian fundamentalists and evangelists often use this trope to claim religious superiority over Hindus and also delink Hinduism from the people living in this part of India.
A theory propagated by British missionaries suggest that St. Thomas visited Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the 1st century AD, and that Christianity thrived in the region before “Aryan invaders” (read Brahmins) usurped Hinduism and spread their faith. Today, the proponents of this theory primarily consist of Dravidianists and Marxists like Brittas.
Critics argue that such arguments only reinforce the belief that Communism in India is deeply rooted in Hindumisia. They maintain that it serves as a convenient mask for those with anti-Hindu sentiments to vent their prejudices, while claiming a secular and egalitarian stance.
Communist MP John Brittas in 2019: "Christianity was in Kerala before Hindu Brahmins came. It's indigenous to Kerala."
John in 2023: "I am ashamed of Sengol & Hindu Sanyasis being in Parliament".
Annamalai: "Sengol was here long before Christianity or Islam were born".
He knew… pic.twitter.com/yijp5LHjZd
— Cogito (@cogitoiam) June 6, 2023
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