Thiruvananthapuram: As Kerala prepares for the local self government elections, discussions have intensified within the Syro Malabar Christian community about their responsibility in the political process. With political parties launching their campaigns, leaders and social thinkers connected to the church are encouraging voters to make choices based on justice, constitutional values and social responsibility.

They emphasise that the church does not support party based politics.

Instead, it stands for the politics of the Kingdom of God, which is centered on human dignity, equality and the freedom of people from systems that suppress them. The community is being urged to support candidates who respect these principles and avoid those who chase power for personal gain or remain silent when injustice occurs.

Voters are also reminded to look at how different political groups responded during the past five years to concerns raised by the Christian community.

These include issues linked to the Munambam tragedy, the Koshy Commission report, the eighty twenty formula in minority welfare schemes, pressure faced by Christian institutions, unfair practices in disability related matters, the difficulties of high range farmers, the human wildlife conflict and questions related to the EWS reservation.

Church voices note that protecting the secular nature of India is a shared duty. They warn that blindly supporting any political group without evaluating their actions could lead to difficult consequences in the future.

With the state moving towards polling day, the Syro Malabar Church is urging the faithful to treat every vote as precious. Responsible and thoughtful voting, they say, is essential for strengthening democracy and ensuring fair and just governance.