KOCHI: The latest editorial piece in Sathyadeepam, the weekly published by the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, states that the Church should not hesitate to question the political parties in the backdrop of elections. “The Church should ask the state and central leaderships of the BJP why justice is getting delayed for Christians at Kandhamal. It should be asked why Fr Stan Swamy, who is innocent, continues to remain in prison,” the editorial says.
Recently, BJP state president K Surendran and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan visited Cardinal George Alencherry in the backdrop of upcoming assembly elections. The editorial criticises that even revolutionary parties are not willing to step out of politics based on communal support even though the concept does not represent pluralistic democracy. It said the different fronts are competing to give each other the label of communalism.
“While the Left and the United fronts are being mocked by their own past failures in appeasement politics, the NDA was ridiculing themselves by saying that they are the same towards everyone,” the editorial states. The Sathyadeepam piece also says the Church is active in discussions to finalise candidates for different fronts even though the leadership repeats the Church is above politics.
The editorial further says the Church should fight against the eviction of thousands of people from their homes for projects valued at tens of thousand of crores. “The Church should fight for reorganisation of distribution of welfare schemes for minorities based on population,” the editorial says.“The Church is interfering in electoral politics more than ever by speaking directly and by giving out recommendations. The indication is that there won’t be a pastoral letter about the political situation this year. Still, the Church should ask questions to Political Kerala,” the editorial says.