HC raps Kerala government in Church row

KOCHI: Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M)-LED Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, which is waging a protracted war against Hindutvaoutitsoverimplementation of the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala temple entry, received a body blow on Wednesday with the High Court pulling up the administration for not showing enthusiasm in executing the verdict of the apex court in the Piravom church case.

The court also accused the government of double standards. “When 1000 police oficers are deployed at Sabarimala, why is the government not able to facilitate the security for 200 persons at the Piravom church. This double standard is not acceptable for commoners. Why are consensus talks being held rather than trying to implement the verdict that is in favour of Orthodox faction?

“You can’t associate the court to implement your agendas,” the court told state Advocate General, while considering the petition iled by Orthodox church members.

Even after favourable Supreme Court verdict, justice is yet to be served, the petitioners submitted in the court.

High Court also asked the government why was it taking a negative stand in this case, when it is trying to implement the supreme court verdict in certain other cases. Court observed that instead of compromise talks, implementation of the verdict was required.

On 20th the Supreme Court had ordered that status quo should be maintained in the affairs of Church of Kings at Piravom, popularly known as Piravom Church.

The church is under the control of Jacobite Syrian Church which conducts the holy mass and other services. More than 80 per cent of the believers in the church are Jacobites, according to the present administration.

In July this year, the Orthodox Church approached the SC seeking implementation of the July 2017 apex court ruling which has given the Orthodox Church control over more than 1,100 parishes and their churches as per a 1934 constitution of the church.

But this had left the Jacobite faction unhappy and they had declared at a function held at Kaloor in February that they would not hand over any church to the Orthodox faction. In April, the two factions clashed with each other and two criminal cases were registered at Piravom police station.

In May, one faction tried to conduct mass in the church and the rival faction opposed. Further clashes were avoided due to timely intervention of police.