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List SFI as extremist organisation: Church

Thiruvananthapuram: The conflict between the Church and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) over the ruling LDF’s educational policies has turned bitter with the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church asking the State government to declare the Students Federation of India (SFI), the CPI(M)’s student wing, as an extremist outfit, sparking a strong response from the outfit.

Reacting to the violent student protest at a Church-run college over the suicide of a girl student last month, the diocesan council of the Church’s Thiruvalla Arch-Diocese earlier this week accused the SFI of promoting campus unrest and wanted it to be listed as an extremist outfit.

The council, comprising clergy and lay members, said the Church would no longer remain silent to SFI’s threats and sought State protection for its institutions.

“We are forced to react as the SFI has been targeting our institutions for quite some time,” said Shibu Puthukkeri, a member of the council.

SFI State leaders, however, said the outfit would continue to oppose “unbridled commercialisation of education, even if it is done by those wearing the holy robe.”

In a strongly-worded statement, SFI’s State secretariat accused Church heads of “pushing their narrow interests in the field by exploiting the trust the faithful reposed on them.” — PTI

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