The Hindu : Kerala News : Catholic forums defend QSSS

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Sunday, Apr 03, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Catholic forums defend QSSS

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM, APRIL 2. Leaders of the Latin Catholic community here have said the people of Alapad in general and the tsunami victims in particular are in no way against the Quilon Social Service Society (QSSS) going ahead with the construction of 456 houses for the tsunami victims of Alapad. At a press conference here today, the leaders said outside forces with vested interests were conspiring against the QSSS by spreading canards.

The Latin Catholic leaders who addressed the press conference included the director of the Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM), Rajesh Martin; the president of the diocese unit of the Kerala Latin Catholic Association (KLCA), J. Francis; the State secretary of the KLCA, J. Theophilese; the KCYM president, Sebastian F. Valentine; the KLCA organising secretary, Jose Vimal Raj; and the KCYM State senate member, S. Sabin.

Rev. Rajesh Martin said construction of houses was not a prestige issue for the QSSS; rather it was part of a routine role of the Church to provide genuine help to the needy. Except for that, neither the QSSS nor the Church has any vested interests. The QSSS would act as per the directives from the district administration, he added.

CITU charge

The CITU general secretary, P.K. Gurudasan, has alleged that the BJP is engaged in a campaign to create communal tension among the tsunami victims of Alapad.

In a press release here today, he said the statement made by the BJP leader, O. Rajagopal, at Thiruvananthapuram on Friday indicated such a hidden move. The BJP leader's statement that missionary organisations should not be allowed to construct houses for the tsunami victims was anti-Constitutional, Mr. Gurudasan said.

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