Kerala - Kochi   

Pinarayi asked to withdraw remark

KOCHI: The heads of the three Catholic rites in the State have, in a joint statement, urged Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan to withdraw his remark against the Thamarassery bishop.

Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil of the Syro-Malabar Church, Archbishop Daniel Acharuparambil of the Latin Church; and Catholicos Baselius Cleemis of the Malankara Catholic Church said on Sunday that Mr. Vijayan’s remark was reprehensible.

Mr. Vijayan had called Bishop Paul Chittilappilly, who had spoken out an undeniable truth, a liar and a supporter of the United Democratic Front, the high priests said. The phrases Mr. Viajayan used did not go well with Kerala’s culture.

“Our society should take note of the intolerance and indecency of such statements and reject them,” the Church heads said. People should voice their protest and disappointment over such ‘cultural degradations.’

They said it was the right of a believer to express his/her affinity to the Church at the time of death. This was a human right as well as a constitutional right and by denying this Mr. Vijayan had proved hollow his professed secularism and regard for the minorities. The bishops also spoke of the threats ‘cultural pollution’ posed to society.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala has urged Mr. Vijayan to apologise publicly for his ‘insulting remarks’ against the Catholic bishop.

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