MALANKARA ORTHODOX CHURCH SEES UDF MLAs ERNAKULAM WHO BELONG TO JACOBITE CHURCH IN PARTISAN ACTS

MALANKARA ORTHODOX CHURCH SEES UDF MLAs ERNAKULAM WHO BELONG TO JACOBITE CHURCH IN PARTISAN ACTS

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church has accused ruling-front MLAs from Ernakulam who belong to the Jacobite Church of interfering in the functioning of the district administration and abetting those targeting Orthodox churches. Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II and head of the Kandanad East Diocese Thomas Mar Athanasius told presspersons here on Tuesday that the United Democratic Front (UDF) leaders in Ernakulam district belonging to the Jacobite Church were violating the basic tenets of democracy by serving the interests of their religious heads. They said that instead of acting in a secular manner, nurturing the interest of all electors, those UDF leaders were acting in a partisan manner and thwarting the district administration's efforts for implementing a court verdict for protecting the churches from attacks. They accused the Jacobite Church of unleashing violence with the aid of hired criminals. The Revenue officials and the police in the district were unable to act freely owing to the intervention of the UDF leaders. The law-enforcing agencies in the district were remaining a mute witness to the violence unleashed on the church premises. But this did not seem to be the UDF government's policy, Mar Athanasius said.

He said the dispute over the ownership and right to hold service in the churches was a smokescreen created by the Jacobite Church to cover up its internal dissensions. Sharing the assets and dividing the right for service would lead to its decline, and it was not a feasible option.The rule of law should prevail. In spite of having favourable court verdicts, the Orthodox Church could not perform service at the churches in Kolencherry and Mamalassery. The churches in Mannathur and Vettithara had to be closed. Chaos was prevailing in Piravom, Puthen Kurissu and Pazanthottam dioceses. The court verdicts and bilateral agreements ironed out for the smooth functioning of the churches had all been thrown to the wind.He said the Jacobite Church should relinquish attempts to establish its sway over the churches through violence. The government should take steps to execute the court verdicts and settle the disputes on their basis. Any lapse in executing the verdict would have a bearing on democracy. Mar Athanasious wanted the government to take action against those who attacked Fr. Johns Abraham at the Mamalassery church.

          Prof. John Kurakar