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Jacobite Church warns UDF of repercussion

Staff Reporter

`Government yet to implement decision on reopening churches'

KOCHI: The Jacobite Church has warned the UDF Government of an unfavourable outcome in the Assembly elections owing to the UDF stand in the opening of the disputed Jacobite Syrian churches.

Addressing a press meet here on Wednesday, Fr. Varghese Kallapara, chief spokesman of the Jacobite Syrian Church, said that the Government was yet to implement the decision on reopening the 20 churches. The decision was taken before the elections were announced, he added.

Alleging that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was being partial to the Orthodox Church, Fr. Kallapara said that despite the differences, the Jacobites would cooperate with the Orthodox faction to reopen the churches. "We conveyed our acceptance, but it was probably unacceptable to the Orthodox faction," he said.

All the churches were closed during the UDF regime. He alleged that the Oommen Chandy Government unleashed violence against them. This, he said, was visible in the police action against priests and the faithful in the church.

Fr. Kallapara said that Jacobites had a say in 35 constituencies and it would be reflected in the poll outcome. He added that there were 20,000 Jacobites in Puthupally (Mr. Chandy's constituency) as well.

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