KOCHI: The Church Act is unlikely to see the light of the day, at least till the elections are over.
With the staunch resistance mounting from all the different denominations in the state against the recent Kerala Church (Properties and Institutions) Bill- 2019 by the Kerala Law Reforms Commission (KLRC), the ruling dispensation is not to go ahead with the bill for the moment, playing it safe ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
A clear indication to this effect was given by CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan when he told media persons on Friday in Kochi the Left Government was not going forward with the Act.
Kodiyeri’s statement comes a day after the Inter-Church Council, which met in Changanassery, decided to oppose the proposed move.
Representatives from various factions, including the Orthodox Syrian Church, Jacobite Syrian Church, Marthoma Church, Syro-Malabar Church and CSI, took part in the council meeting. The new bill, prepared by a committee chaired by Justice K T Thomas, was published on the KLRC website, seeking opinions and suggestions from the public.
“There are no controversial matters highlighted in the bill. The reasons for criticising the bill are unclear. According to Article 26 of the Constitution, properties movable or immovable belonging to any religion can be administered by law. This law has been passed by the Parliament,” Justice Thomas told Express.
Syro-Malabar Church Media Commission chairman Mar Joseph Pamplany, however, said the Church suspects the state government has several agendas behind enforcing the Act.
“The Law Commission has not taken any initiative to hold talks with Churches on the Bill. Through e-mails and messages, we will raise our opinions and will oppose the proposed Church Act. Sunday will be observed as Black Day, and we will continue our protests till the Church Act is withdrawn,” said Pamplany.
According to sources, when the new Bill was being formulated, it also took into consideration the financial irregularities within the Jacobite Syrian Church, the controversial land scam of the Ernakulam-Angamali Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church and spats on financial matters in various churches.
It was in 2009 former Justice Krishna Iyer-led Law Commission prepared the Church Properties Bill to bring in transparency in the handling of Church assets.
“Earlier, when the Church Properties Bill was prepared by former Justice Krishna lyer, we did not notice anyone opposing it. Our aim is to bring transparency in the Church matters. Even the recommended formation of a Church Tribunal is to ease proceedings of legal matters. Otherwise, court proceedings will take a longer time and will result in loss of money,” said Justice Thomas.He also added he was very happy all the Churches, including Orthodox-Jacobite Churches, have united, at least for opposing the Bill.