The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Metropolitan backs State stance

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Friday, Dec 14, 2007
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Metropolitan backs State stance

Staff Reporter

Gabriel Mar Gregorios

Thiruvananthapuram: Gabriel Mar Gregorios, Metropolitan of Thiruvananthapuram, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, has backed the stance of the Left Democratic Front government headed by V.S. Achuthanandan that social justice should prevail in the education sector.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Mar Gregorios said the Church welcomed the statements of Education Minister M.A. Baby and the government in the Assembly for ensuring social justice in the sector.

The Metropolitan said the government should explore whether the changes being thought of would help in the smooth running of educational institutions.

“The government should hold talks with the management to end the apprehensions. Fees and students are needed for the smooth running of educational institutions,” he said.

The delay in admissions to professional courses last year forced many students to seek admissions outside Kerala. “The stand of the Church is that it should be on a ‘no-loss no-profit basis’ and that it should be trouble-free.”

On the self-financing colleges issue, Mar Gregorios said the government should take the initiative to find a permanent solution through consensus.

He said the Thiruvithamcode church (St. Mary’s Orthodox church, believed to have been established by St. Thomas the Apostle) in Kanyakumari district will be declared an international St. Thomas pilgrim centre on December 16.

Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan Baselios Mar Thomas Didymos I will declare the church, known among the local people as ‘Thomayar kovil’, a global pilgrim centre.

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