HIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Close on the heels of the government informing the High Court that central forces can be deployed at Vizhinjam port site to maintain law and order, the Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC) made it clear that the Church will reconsider its political policy of ‘equi-distance’ towards all fronts.
Meanwhile, new efforts were made to find an amicable solution to the 135-day-old protest against the port as Major Archbishop Baselios Cleemis of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church held talks with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday. Cleemis along with Archbishop Thomas J Netto of Latin Archdiocese held talks with chief secretary V P Joy, too.
The KRLCC, a body of Church factions to take a call on policy matters, is set to hold its meeting on January 14 and 15 in Kottayam to decide its new political policy.
“The Latin Catholics have so far adopted an equi-distance political policy and equal consideration towards all fronts. We have decided to reconsider our political approach in the wake of the government declaring a war on the coastal community,” said the political affairs committee.
Efforts on to find an amicable solution
Convener of the political affairs committee Joseph Jude also condemned the government terming Latin Catholics as anti-nationals and extremists. On Saturday, the government and the Latin Church restarted efforts to find an amicable solution to the issue. The government decided to go for mediation after LDF ally Janadhipathya Kerala Congress expressed concern over the delay in implementing the rehabilitation package for those who lost house in coastal erosion.
At the meeting held in Changanessery on Friday in the presence of Minister Antony Raju, the leaders agreed that the Vizhinjam port should be implemented. At the same time, the government should also speed up the rehabilitation work. Leaders pointed out that the people should be taken into confidence on rehabilitation. Antony Raju briefed the steps taken by the government.
Earlier, another LDF constituent Kerala Congress (M) had also expressed its concerns over the Vizhinjam issue. The state government wants to find a breakthrough in the Vizhinjam issue before the assembly session begins on Monday. On the other hand, the Latin Church is also keen to end the deadlock before the court takes a final decision on central forces. Meanwhile, the Kerala Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi has shown interest to mediate in the issue.