Religious leaders meet to ‘heal wounds’
The Hindu
A two-hour session attended by top representatives attempts to usher in harmony
In a bid to put a lid on the ‘narcotic jihad’ controversy, religious leaders came together here on Monday to ‘heal wounds’ that have threatened to affect secular unity in the State.
The outreach initiated by Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop-Catholicos of Malankara Syrian Catholic Church, witnessed a congregation of leaders representing various sects and denominations who sought to restore communal harmony amid growing resentment at Pala bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt’s ‘love jihad and narcotic jihad’ remarks.
The participants included Muslim Youth League State president Panakkad Syed Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal; Kozhikode Palayam Imam Hussain Madavoor; Thiruvananthapuram Palayam Imam V.P. Suhaib Moulavi; Kerala Muslim Jamaath president Karamana Bayar; Thiruvananthapuram Archbishop (Latin rite) M. Soosa Pakiam; and Santhigiri Ashram general secretary Swami Gururetnam Jnana Thapaswi.