KOCHI: A section of the priests and laity in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese has come out against the state government reportedly filing an affidavit -- before the Supreme Court -- giving a clean chit to Cardinal Mar George Alencherry in the controversial land deal row. The priests have termed the state government’s move a “political ploy”.
“The government is aiming at the community votes. The affidavit submitted by the state government giving clean chit is just a political ploy. This government itself has found financial irregularities in the controversial land deals,” said Fr Jose Vailikodath of the Athirupatha Samrakshana Samithy, an organisation of priests belonging to the archdiocese, in a statement.
The Samithy also alleged that the Pinarayi government can give only such an affidavit on behalf of the Cardinal as their political existence depended on community votes. “All the commissions and committees that have studied the land deals’ case have reported that there were irregularities in the deals, both under civil and canon laws. It is because of the violation of the canon law that he was removed from the administrative affairs by the Vatican,” said Fr Vailikodath.
Meanwhile, Almaya Munnettam, the organisation of the laity of the archdiocese, said the efforts to “whitewash” the Cardinal will not work no matter how hard the Church and the state government try.