KOTTAYAM: Despite Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday assuring delegates of various Christian denominations the Kerala Church (Properties and Institution) Bill 2019 won’t be implemented, various Christian organisations under the aegis of Catholic Congress have decided to take out a protest march against the Bill in the district on Thursday.
Catholic Congress leaders said the march was to protest against the stand of Justice (retd) K T Thomas, the chairman of the Kerala State Law Reforms Commission (KSLRC) which proposed the Bill.
“Justice Thomas is complicating the issue with his changing stand. Earlier, he announced a public hearing will be held on March 6 and 7 over the draft Bill uploaded on the Commission’s website. He then rescheduled it to March 7 and 8. Later, he withdrew the public hearing. However, he told the media a majority of Christian community members wanted a public hearing on the Bill,” said Biju Parayannilam, Catholic Congress president
Biju said members of the Church and other organisations refrained from organising a massive protest taking into account the government’s assurance the Bill won’t be implemented.“However, we are concerned over the approach of Justice Thomas, who is creating misconception over the Bill. We need clarity on this. We have apprised the Chief Minister of this,” he said.
At 10 am on Thursday, a public conference will be held at Thirunakkara Ground followed by the protest march.Mar Joseph Perumthottam, the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Changanassery Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church, will inaugurate the meeting.