Latin Catholic Church blames Union, State govts. for freezing bank accounts
Seething at the freezing of its bank accounts in the aftermath of the anti-port protests in Vizhinjam two years ago, the Latin Catholic Church has blamed both the Central and the State governments for its plight.
With just a few days left for the polls, the turn of events could have electoral implications with the in
uential denomination mulling over departing from its equidistant stance to adopt a “right distance” policy at the hustings.
In a pastoral letter read out in all parishes under the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram on Good Shepherd Sunday, Archbishop Thomas J. Netto stressed the ¡nancial strain that has led to a halt to several activities.
After Vizhinjam stir
He said the Church annually spent around ₹2 crore on priest training, caring for retired clergy. Funds were required for other initiatives too. “We have been unable to accept ¡nancial aid that we used to receive for missionary works, with the power centres freezing our bank accounts after the Vizhinjam stir,” the letter read.
Thiruvananthapuram Archdiocese Vicar General Eugine H. Pereira said the Church’s outreach programmes supporting indigent families has suered with the FCRA (Foreign Contribution [Regulation] Act) bank accounts of its social service organisations frozen.
He said such actions stemmed from reports submitted by the Kerala Police to the Union Home Ministry after protests against the Adani grouprun Vizhinjam International Seaport project in 2022.
Despite assurances from the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government regarding the withdrawal of cases against protesters, no concrete steps had been taken, Monsignor Pereria, who was the general convenor of the action council, said.
Emphasising the Church’s pitch for a more politically engaged approach for the upcoming polls, he said the archdiocese has submitted an 18point charter of demands to the three political groups.
Among the Church's demands are solution to ¡shers’ problems at Muthalapozhi and Pozhiyoor and issuance of title deeds to coastal residents in Thiruvananthapuram.