The Believers Eastern Church in Kerala has thrown its support behind BJP candidate Anil Antony in the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency, despite being under investigation by the Income Tax Department since 2020 and having its FCRA licence revoked in 2015.
Father Sijo Pandaplackal, a spokesperson for the Church, stated that the decision to support the BJP was independent of the ongoing Income Tax probe and the FCRA licence cancellation. He emphasized that the Church’s backing was solely for the Pathanamthitta candidate and was not influenced by any pending investigations or past decisions.
Although the Church’s FCRA licence was revoked years before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Pandaplackal clarified that there were no efforts made to reverse the decision by supporting the BJP at that time. He also highlighted that the Church did not seek any favors from the BJP in the 2019 elections and questioned the basis for the allegations against them in the 2024 elections.
Founded by evangelist K P Yohannan in 2000, the Believers Church holds considerable sway in the Pathanamthitta constituency. However, it has come under scrutiny for its substantial donations totaling Rs 4,000 crore, with suspicions of significant portions being diverted to the real estate sector. Moreover, the FCRA licence cancellation in 2015 was linked to purported irregularities in expenditure.
This show of support for the BJP aligns with the party’s efforts to court the Christian community in Kerala, a crucial electorate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on April 26. It also occurs amidst historical criticisms from the RSS concerning the conversion of Dalit Hindus to Christianity by Pentecostal groups in Kerala.